


Last Dance

by sky_kaijou



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Blowjobs, Cheeky Siblings, Coming Out, Domestic Fluff, Edited for Continuity and Flow, Enemies to Lovers to Friends, English Names, First Time, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Homophobia, Joey Wheeler - Freeform, M/M, Mokuba Kaiba - Freeform, Mokuba is a meddling little shit but we love him, No dog names as pet names, Rated E for quantity of sex, Semi-Accurate representations of Tokyo and Osaka, Serenity Wheeler - Freeform, Seto Kaiba - Freeform, Sex, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-06
Updated: 2019-04-29
Packaged: 2019-07-07 16:32:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 92,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15912066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sky_kaijou/pseuds/sky_kaijou
Summary: *IN PROGRESS* How did a dance turn into a romance? The story of two emotionally-stunted eighteen-year-olds that have to navigate a complicated relationship between their jobs, the media, homophobic Japan, and meddling siblings.REUPLOADED and EDITED for continuity.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked the first one, I'd appreciate a re-read as I've edited a bit! I hope you love this twenty-gayteen version with more angst, dialogue, weird situations and better blowjob descriptions (I think at least)!

Joey stared out the window from his back-row seat. His fingers were idly clicking his pencil lead as he watched the plum blossoms blooming in the early March sunlight. Every so often he would raise his eyes to make sure the teacher wasn’t glaring at him before returning to his daydreams.

March meant spring, which meant longer days, warmer nights, and new beginnings. Everybody in his class was more fidgety, not just him; already sitting their National Centre Test and deciding which Universities to apply for. It was just a matter of weeks before he escaped this nine-til-three hellhole where he felt like he could never do quite right, his tarnished reputation made him magnetic to collecting detentions like trading cards for the most innocuous of reasons. He wasn’t sure why they even had to come back to school after their placement tests, but those were the rules.

Joey knew that most of his friends had applied for opportunities outside of Domino City. To everybody’s surprise and despite taking obscene amounts of time off school to compete in Duel Monsters tournaments, the whole gang were about to graduate without having to repeat their final year. But before that reality sunk in, there were parties, late nights at arcades, and School Ball Season to tackle before he too had to decide what to do with his newfound time.

Joey lamented on the conversations that had lead up to Ball Season, as he watched the leaves rustle in the light breeze outside, idly drawing circles on his textbook until the sound of his lead breaking snapped him back into reality, just as the bell rang for lunch.

Most of the group were going together; Yugi and Tea had kept it no surprise over the years that they had a thing for each other and had begun dating in secret – not that the group kept secrets very well when they caught them giving each other a kiss goodbye. Tristan had invited Serenity, much to Joey’s glowering disapproval, Bakura was keeping quiet about who had invited him, and Duke had a harem of girls that were trying to win his attention and go exclusively with him.

But Joey was going alone. He grinned when he said it, like he had no cares in the world. Stag sounded kind of sexy if you followed it through with confidence.

“But you’ve had so many invitations!” Yugi exclaimed. “There’s plenty of girls who would go with you!”

“Yug’ I don’t wanna just take anybody to fill ‘da void!” Joey exclaimed. “I don’t need t’ be worrying about shit like matching corsages and pickin’ up a girl in a limo.”

Tea scowled. “But that’s half the fun! Yugi and I are matching!”

“Why don’t you invite Mai?” Tristan asked. “She’s hot!”

“Jeez, Trist’, she’s definitely not interested in comin’ to a school ball, she’s like thirty now. I don’t need’a date.”

“Don’t let her hear you say that! She’s only twenty-six.” Tea smacked him on his shoulder and he laughed.

“Wait…do you even _own_ a suit?” Tristan quizzed. “I don’t think they’re gonna let you in if you’re wearing your usual Jeans and Tee combo and turning up in your school uniform is the lamest thing anyone could do!”

“It’s cool, man. I figured I’d rent one or borrow somethin’,” Joey’s face crinkled at the thought of wearing something stiff and formal, but for a once in a lifetime event, he guessed he should make an exception if only for his friends and their photographs.

Kaiba drifted by with an air of self-importance, interrupting the conversation with a directed “I didn’t know dogs could wear suits,” quip. Kaiba chortled, only making eye contact with a seething Joey whose face was going bright red to add “unless you’re planning on wearing a collar instead of a tie.”

“Kaiba, who asked you!?” Tea quipped, and Yugi put his hand on her shoulder to help her simmer down.

“Keep walkin’ rich boy,” Joey snarled, feeling Kaiba’s insults crawling underneath his skin, nestling around his clenched knuckles.

“Gladly.” Kaiba flicked his coat in defiance as he departed. Joey pulled the finger in his general direction and huffed.

“He acts like he’s compensatin’!” Joey growled. “Can’t wait to never see his face again!”

“Joey, I hate to break this to you, but he owns everything in this city!” Yugi reasoned. “Aaaaand, you do happen to play Duel Monsters, and so does he, so you two should probably learn to make peace.”

“Didn’t you just see that!?” Joey growled. “ _He_ started it with me this time!”

“Yes, but you started it with him yesterday. What goes around comes around,” Tristan rebutted.

Joey sighed. “Maybe I’ll move out of Domino City then!”

-

Joey’s favourite class was Physical Education. Not just because the thought of mathematics made him want to jump off the school roof, or the fact that he was the best at running track and getting A’s.

The penultimate of his sexual awakening was the very thing that made him sick to his stomach; Seto Kaiba wearing nothing but swimming trunks. Despite having faint scars on his shoulder blades that nobody dare mention for fear of castration, the teenager was, simply put, gorgeous. Over the years he grew into his lanky body, with a tiny waist, and barely-there abs that invited Joey’s stare which lead his eyes down to his pelvic bones that dipped under the edge. Joey would only look when nobody else was there.

And then Kaiba would open his mouth and say something to piss Joey the fuck off and they’d be off settling their scores, swimming laps before the teacher blew his whistle.

Some days in the pool were less clear-cut than others, with arguments following out of the changing rooms and back into the halls of Domino High. And now that spring was right around the corner, the fights would carry on outside, at times embellished with pushing and shoving like they both craved victory even through a bloodbath.

“It’s clear I won, dumbass.” Kaiba laughed, slinging his swimming bag over his shoulder. “Maybe you’ll have a chance of beating me when you learn how to do more than doggy paddle.”

“’da fuck you say, Rich Boy?”

“I’d ask you to settle it like a real man, but you’re nothing but a child.” Kaiba bit his lip, and Joey’s stomach flipped. The pure testosterone Kaiba was exuding frayed at Joey’s ends, and he detonated.

Kaiba blocked his punches like they’d practised for years, predictably throwing his own. Joey grabbed his wrist and twisted him around, feeling Kaiba’s hip drag along his own. In a split second of distraction, Kaiba had him on the ground with a sweep, a bead of sweat sitting beside his left brow.

There was something in the moment of proximity that flashed over Kaiba’s eyes, before Joey pushed him off, Kaiba dusting himself off and walking away like nothing had transpired.

See, Joey thought he might have been okay with being _gay_. But being attracted to _Seto Kaiba_? Maybe the world would come and swallow him up. He hoped that his face didn’t give anything away to him or bystanders. Even his friends wouldn’t understand.

-

“Big brother, are you going to the ball?” Mokuba asked with a rare moment around the dinner table. Despite school winding down, Kaiba was busier than ever ramping up to be at work officially full-time, which meant taking on more projects, expansions, and marketing opportunities.

“I thought you knew me better than that,” Seto said, pushing his reading glasses up to the bridge of his nose as he perused through a fifty-something page report, highlighting and underlining and muttering to himself between their conversation.

“Come on, I’d love to see the photos.”

“And I’d rather stick a hot poker in my eyes.”

Mokuba sighed, finishing his end of term project for Science, which included a full write up of the cranium. He was drawing a diagram by hand, colour coding each piece before writing the description of how it worked. “You’re so impossible. I’m studying the brain but I can’t figure you out.”

“What does that mean?” Kaiba asked without looking over.

“Well, I thought you’d want one more chance to see your friends.”

“They’re not my friends.”

“Yet you still mention them around home.” Mokuba picked up his blue pencil, before tracing around the cerebellum, humming under his breath.

“It’s not worth my time,” Seto picked up his report and filed it away before removing himself from Mokuba’s distractions.

“Sure, sure,” Mokuba said, pretending to entertain the thought. This time, he knew something was different, but he couldn’t put his finger on what.

-

Normally Mondays were the days that Joey came to school on time, because they started with running track, but Joey’s weekend misfortunes meant that his usual running shoes were no longer alive, and with another three days until payday, he would have to skip.

His whole body clenched as Kaiba got out of his seat in last period, hoping that he wouldn’t put a dampener on an already average day. He just couldn’t be bothered with a fight. The afternoon was dreary too. In a series of misfortunes, Joey had also not brought a jacket and the drizzle outside hadn’t been forecast, like the gods were laughing down on him.

“Missed you in P.E.” Kaiba’s voice was low like it was dragging through gravel, and it made Joey flinch.

“Whatever.” Joey muttered, shoving his pencil case into his bag, and grabbing his headphones out, held together with electrical tape at the bottom.

“Did the mutt get an injury?”

“Shoes finally gave up ‘d ghost,” Joey muttered, humouring him for just a second before turning his attention back to untangling the mess of cords. “Why d’y’ care?”

“It’s boring when I don’t have competition worthy of my time.” Kaiba’s eyes darted over the cheap phone with a cracked screen that Joey had also pulled out of his bag.

“Cool. Glad to know you missed me.” Joey avoided Kaiba’s eye contact, looking out of the window as he plugged his headphones into the port on the bottom of his phone. “Hate to love ya and leave ya but it looks like it’s about to piss down outside and I gotta get to work. Catch’ya Moneybags.”

-

Joey grabbed his bag out of the cubby in the back of the classroom after finishing the day with a P.E. class. Feeling peachy after swimming under the warm breeze, and after checking Kaiba out for a second longer than was safe, he was determined to have a great afternoon with his friends, who were building decks at Yugi’s grandfather’s store. It was one of Joey’s afternoons off work, and he was spending every minute with the group before they dispersed as he could.

He reached into his bag to put his ratty gym gear away, and his fingers brushed over the corner of a box that he hadn’t remembered putting in there. His years duelling and dealing with crazies made him suspicious of planted packages, so he surveyed his area first. Nobody was watching. He pulled the box out, plain black and inconspicuous. Initially Joey considered it to maybe be an accident before realising his name was written on the box in blue ink.

“Hey Joey, there you are!” Tristan said, before realising that Joey was indeed, holding a leather collar in his hands. “Man, I didn’t know you were bringing your kink toys to school. Who’s the lucky lady?”

“Shut th’ fuck up man I have no idea who put this in my…oh for fuck sake,” Joey scowled as he shoved the collar back into his bag bright red. The worst thing about having a crush was being both excited by the attention, but slightly angrier that this was the kind of attention he had to settle for. Why did it have to be like this? Why wasn’t it a pretty girl with a normal personality…?

“Maybe it’s a fetish of his?” Tristan teased, poking Joey in the ribs.

“He’s gonna pay…” Joey mumbled as he followed Tristan out the gates to meet the others who were waiting in the shade.

“Hey guys…Joey are you alright?”

“Kaiba can go fuck himself…”

Tristan laughed. “Don’t even get him started…”

-

Thank god his pay came through. It was only a week until the ball, and after his friends nagged him about what he was going to wear, he finally decided to head into town on Sunday afternoon, after he was finished his morning shift and had ducked home to shower.

The store was called ‘Suits You,’ like it was the most original name in the world. Joey cringed as he went through the immaculate glass doors and had a gentleman bow at the entrance. The ambience was quiet, with soft classical music playing in the background and bright lights shining on muscular-physiqued mannequins.

The store specialised in tailored suits, both cheap and high-end brands. They were _expensive_ , but the rental section was a little less offensive, with options at the top end of his budget if he couldn’t find anything to buy.

There were one hundred dollar sets available for purchase, and though they looked like they were made with a cheaper material and they wouldn’t fit as well as a tailored suit, it was certainly better than stealing the blazer out of his father’s closet from his heydays, which would certainly be covered in boozy stains. Tristan had offered up his spare suit that he’d worn to a cousin’s wedding, but his shoulders just weren’t quite as broad. The problem with being half American is the Japanese sizes just couldn’t cater to his proportions, with a small waist and wide hips and shoulders meaning he would be shopping in the extra-large sizes. Besides, he’d be needing to find a job and having a suit, despite it being ill-fitting, was better than having nothing at all for interviews.

Of _course_ , Joey would only choose the exact day and time where Kaiba just so happened to _need_ to look at suits too. Joey wanted to hide when he recognised that strut, realising that Kaiba was dressed in his business-wear, and he was almost unrecognisable amongst the sea of other businessmen when not dressed in a flamboyant cape and boots that went up to his ass.

“What are you doing in a shop like this?” Kaiba hissed. “Out of your price range, don’t you think?” The dollar store is down the road.” Kaiba grabbed a shirt off the rank and looked at it before humming and putting it back, still neatly folded.

Joey considered his comeback until he remembered that he was in a store where their voices would travel and he would most certainly get kicked out for commotion. “Ugh, why are _you_ here?”

“It’s a _Suit_ shop, you idiot. I tend to wear _Suits_ to work. At my _job._ ” Kaiba spelled it out like he was talking to a pre-schooler.

“Don’tcha have, like servants to make suits and do your errands and shine your shoes?”

“Sometimes I like to come out and check new collections in person. _I_ have to dress _myself.”_

 _“Whatever,”_ Joey hissed, “while I have you though, the fuck was up with that…gift?”

“Maybe it’ll match whatever garbage you choose to wear,” Kaiba whispered as he leaned in, his breath brushing Joey’s ear. “After all, I seem to recall you wearing a dog suit for Duke. I thought it was what you were into. Now, sit, be good _mutt_.” Kaiba bit his lip as he enunciated the last word.

Joey clenched his fist at the breath brushing over his collarbone, but before he could react, Kaiba was gone out of his personal space as quickly as he had infiltrated. He talked himself down from his reaction while browsing through the colour options. The suit he chose to try on was plain and boring, but he decided that plain and boring was safe and he could always dress it up with a nicer shirt for a job interview. He nodded to the sales assistant, who ushered him into the changing room, which piqued Kaiba’s attention.

 _He looks so out of place._ Kaiba smirked to himself.

Joey stepped out in the cheap suit, to get a view in the full-length mirror. It’s not that he looked terrible, but, if there was ever an ill-fitting suit on the skinny, but tall blond, it was _that. The arms weren’t quite long enough, the waist was too big but the shoulders were too small._ The legs were almost right, but there seemed to be the problem that if he squeezed into a large he still needed to be about ten centimetres shorter. He tried to remedy it by pulling up his socks, but instead he looked like an out-of-touch geography teacher.

“Jeez, that looks terrible, even for you.” Kaiba rolled his eyes as he was being measured by another professional, and conventionally attractive lady. Granted, Joey had a nice physique, but cheap suits always looked terrible, and Joey was on the tall side of ‘average’ which was always harder to buy off the shelf for.

“Well, I guess not then,” the blond mused, without taking Kaiba’s thoughts into consideration. He popped back into the changing room and slithered back into his rough jeans-and-tee ensemble. He hung the suit back up, and shoved it back on the rack, and headed over to the rental area. The suits were similar prices, but at least looked like they were made from nicer fabric.

Kaiba collected a few items to try and popped himself into the changing room. He knew exactly what colours and fits he was needing to bulk out his work wardrobe, and settled on a new blazer, two new shirts, and a vest.

“You buyin for the Ball?” Joey asked, as he put a rental suit back, making sure to not catch his eyes.

“I’m not going.”

“Aw, why not?” Joey pouted.

“It’s mundane.”

Joey sighed. “Maybe for you.” He kept flicking through the pre-loved merchandise. “It might be the last time I get with some of my friends…” He picked another set up, and mused, before shoving it back on the rack. “If I find somethin’ to wear, anyway…” his voice trailed off and he decided not to entertain Kaiba’s fascination anymore.

Kaiba rolled his eyes but noticed the forlorn look on his face as he checked the price tag on another blazer and sighed to himself. Kaiba was getting his items wrapped up, and as the shopkeeper asked if there was anything else he needed, he made a split decision that was certainly out of character.

“Just, make that blond idiot look almost presentable.”

“A…are you sure, Mr Kaiba?”

Kaiba almost rescinded his offer, before walking out of the store with his bags without further conversation. The young saleswoman blinked twice, before focussing her attention on Joey, who had all but given up on his search.

“Excuse me, Sir. I’ve been given instructions to sort you out with a nice suit. Did you have a colour in mind?”

“I, uh, don’t have the money for anything super nice…” Joey trailed off.

“Please don’t fret about the price, that’s already been taken care of.” Joey looked around but noticed that Kaiba had all but left before he could say any more. “Alterations and all. Now. Could I please grab your name?”

Joey’s eyes lit up, before immediately feeling suspicious. What was this going to entail? He contemplated his two choices, before deciding that a nice suit must have been like five dollars and for whatever reason Kaiba was feeling charitable - if he had to pay for it later then he’d deal with that at the time.

“Ahh, I’m Joey. And, uh, well, I was thinkin’ that Red and Black are my signature colours…”

“Certainly. What kind of formalwear were you looking for. A suit? A vest? Tie or Bowtie?”

“Ahh, ‘dis is my first suit. Where do I even start?” Joey furrowed his brows, feeling significantly out of place.

“Please sit here, and I’ll fetch some suits and we can go from there.” She dashed off, and Joey blushed at her use of words, remembering his collar incident, which made him momentarily mad at Kaiba again. What exactly was he playing at? And why did he blame _Joey_ for having a dog fetish when he was the one who couldn’t drop it?!

The lovely shopkeeper, whose name was Emi according to her name badge, returned a few moments later holding a few different options. Joey’s eyes settled on one black blazer and trousers, with a stunning blood-red shirt. “I really like da colour of this.”

“Certainly,” she handed him the set and ushered him into the changing rooms. His fingers brushed over the soft and sturdy fabric, which _felt_ more luxurious than the first. He tried it on, and the shirt hung nicely from his torso, despite still being a little wide around his waist, but the shoulders fit as they needed to, and the buttons were at a great height. He decided that Emi needed a raise as she was an absolute expert at eyeing her customers and getting the perfect fit first try. He was impressed and took a moment to bathe in what it must feel like to have money.

 _You stud, you!_ Joey grinned as he shot a few poses to himself in the changing room. He emerged with cherry cheeks. The shopkeeper beamed. “That looks wonderful, but how do you feel in it?”

“Like a million bucks!”

“Fantastic, seems like you’ve made your choice! Now, we’d need to get some alterations done, but they should only take a day. Is that okay by you, Mr Joey?”

“Yeah that’s ‘aight. I’ve got about a week.”

“Marvellous. Would you mind if I grabbed a measuring tape and took down your measurements?”

“N…not at all.” Joey said, and the Emi zoomed back from behind the counter.

“Now please, stand straight, lift your arms, now put them down again. Chest. Okay, next. Waist. Next, Hips. Shoulders. Length. Perfect. Now, if you’d like to change back into your clothes, you’ll be able to collect this from 4pm tomorrow.” She jotted down details between each measurement.

“Wow, that was efficient.” Joey jumped back into the changing room, and swapped back into his nice, _normal_ clothes. As he was heading back to the salesperson, he noted the price. A cool _one thousand, two hundred dollars._

He handed it back to the lady, feeling incredibly guilty, but before he had a chance to protest the price, she rang it through with Kaiba’s details, and gave Joey the receipt. “Okay, Mr Joey! We’ll see you tomorrow!”

“Um, thank you!” Joey stammered. What a predicament.

As he left the store, he checked the receipt total.

_Kaiba had spent almost ten thousand dollars in the store._

-

“You’d better tell absolutely nobody.” Kaiba hissed, as he passed the Blond in the hall between classes. “Not even your _buddies.”_

Joey looked up, dazed. “About…oh!” He remembered the kind gesture from the Walking Icicle. “Yeah, um thanks.”

“Nothing to thank me for. Nothing happened, idiot.” Kaiba passed by him in a flash.

Joey was a real-life Cinderella, and Kaiba was his Fairy Godmother. Or some cliché bullshit. Which made Joey feel _weird_. It’s not like he welcomed extra attention despite everything else, but he did accept the offer and if he learned anything in Physics class, every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

“Joey! Hey!” Yugi chirped as he caught up with the Blond. “How are you today?”

“Fine Yug, and you?”

“Good! You went hunting for an outfit for the ball yesterday, right? Did you get it sorted out?”

“Yeah, surprisingly!” Joey said. “The suit was too good to pass up for the price I paid.” He gritted his teeth with the white lie, unsure of what the price really was. Money is measurable but humiliation…

“A suit!? Awesome! I think that make us all ready for the dance next week!” Yugi beamed. He was looking forward to it, more than anybody in the group. “Isn’t it strange that Graduation is less than a month away.”

“Yeah, it is! Who knew we’d actually manage to graduate on time!”

-

“Out of the way, mutt,” Kaiba threw Joey out of the way as he strode to his limo. So, he was back to his usual tricks and insults, which Joey assumed meant he should be too or they’d all suspect something was up.

“Why don’t you take dat rod out of your ass and fuck yourself wid’ it,” Joey yelled back.

Kaiba’s eyes glinted, glad that he’d taken the bait and that nothing had changed between them. “You’re a Mutt, Wheeler. I’m counting down the minutes until I never have to sit in the same class as you.”

“Ya think it’s a pleasure dealin’ with your hoity toity snob ass attitude!?” Joey lurched forward but Tristan caught him by the collar, leaving Joey dangling with one clenched fist ready to throw.

“Don’t touch me unless you’ve had your rabies shot,” Kaiba sneered, as he hopped into his limo.

“What a good f’nothin’ rich prick!” Joey cursed, shaking in rage.

“Joey, simmer down,” Tristan dropped the blonde. “He only picks on you because you’re an easy target.”

-

Kaiba was adamant that he still wasn’t going to the ball, right up until an hour before it started, but apparently, he had _zero_ choice in the matter.

“But you haaaave to go, big brother!” Mokuba whined.

“I said no,” Kaiba rolled his eyes, as he sat down to have his late dinner.

“Pleeeeease big brother. I wanna see you all dressed up. I think you’ll enjoy it! You have a hundred suits saved up for special occasions without excuses to wear them.”

“Why do you care?” Kaiba asked, eating his broccoli in small bites.

“I just think that you’ll regret it if you don’t go. You’ll have fun, I promise!”

“Then you don’t know me.”

“I’ll do anything you ask of me!” Mokuba pouted, eyes wide. Kaiba found it so hard to say no to his brother when he got like this, and he _never_ got pushy when Kaiba said no.

“Fine. I’ll go. Why are you so desperate for me to go?”

“Because.” Whether it was fate telling him to push this cause, or a selfish want to get his brother to do something somewhat humanising, he wasn’t sure. But ‘because’ was a complete sentence in Mokuba’s vocabulary, which he’d learned, to Seto’s demise, off Seto himself.

“Fine. I’ll go. For one hour.”

“Yay!” the teen cheered, victorious at pulling his older brother’s tiny heartstrings.

Kaiba sighed, resigning himself to the fact that _going_ was less painful than listening to his brother _b_ egging him to go.

As he said. One hour. He didn’t have the wriggle room to get out of the deal, the Ball was tonight. He just hoped there wasn’t going to be any cheesy Prom King and Queen bullshit. And if there was, he better have nothing to do with it, at all.

With Mokuba standing in the doorway boring holes into his soul, he pried a crisp, brand new suit from his wardrobe.

White, with ice-blue lining, with a tie in the same shade, and gold cufflinks in the shape of Blue-Eyes-White-Dragons. He threw off his ‘casual’ wear, and put the suit on, paying attention to the finer details, including combing his hair in a different part than usual, and making sure his suit was well tucked in and crease free. Deodorant, aftershave, the usual body-care preening for an event like this? Check.

He took one last look in the mirror. _Perfect._ And he headed to the door.

“You look great, Seto!” Mokuba exclaimed. “I should take your prom photos.”

“Do it and you’re grounded.”

“Oh, don’t forget your wallet, Nii-san!” Mokuba slyly grinned. Kaiba grabbed the wallet, albeit a bit bulkier than usual.

“Is this a _condom_ Mokuba? Where did you even get one of these?”

“Sex Ed! I’m thirteen, silly!”

The thought of his younger brother learning about the birds and the bees made the older brother furrow his brow. “I’m not about to go get any girls pregnant!” Seto sighed but stuffed his wallet into his pocket all the same.

“Never said it was for any _girls_ big bro!” Mokuba sing-songed, ducking quickly as Seto threw a Blue-Eyes plushie at him.

That kid’s getting too smart for his own good.

-

Everybody was getting ready at the Game Shop, they’d planned to go as a team in a limo kindly paid for by Solomon Moto, who was beaming at the group of strapping young adults. Yugi and Tea had indeed colour coordinated their outfit, looking quite sweet together, with Tea wearing yellow flowers on her wrist, and Yugi wearing the same shade in a bowtie with a white shirt and vest. Yugi’s outfit had been well tailored, as the poor guy was yet to grow into himself well, and still stood shorter than everybody else by a head.

Serenity had convinced Tristan to match a pale mint colour, and her dress was beautiful. Criss-crossed at the back, and down to her knees with gorgeous heels to match. She was only in town this weekend for the Ball despite their mother’s disdain. Joey couldn’t help but compliment his sister twenty times over, while making sure Tristan knew not to pull any bullshit on her. They may already all be eighteen, but she was still a few years younger, although tonight she looked like an adult, which made Joey wipe a tear from his eye, being scared how old she was getting.

“Joey, are you ready yet?” Tristan asked. “I can’t wait to see you in something other than casual wear! It’s gonna be a once in a lifetime treat!”

Joey stepped out of the bathroom, blushing. He was very uncomfortable, with his _expensive, fitted Cinderella Suit._ The blazer had been taken in to give him a nice waist, while accentuating his toned upper body. He was surprised that his suit fitted _quite this well._ The red suited the colour of his skin and eyes. He’d taken the time to fix his hair from its usual dishevelled mess. Summed up in a single word: decadence.

Tea gasped. “Joey, you look incredible!” She grabbed him and marvelled at the detailing and fine craftsmanship of the blazer. “That suit looks like it should have cost a thousand dollars! How did you get such a good bargain!”

“Right place, right time!” The blond beamed. He guessed it was technically true. “Now, let’s get this party started!”


	2. Chapter 2

The school ball dragged on, minute by minute, second by painful second. The Domino High School Hall was adorned with cheesy streamers, balloons, all things stereotypical Senior Ball. The DJ was a greasy thirties-something wanting to relive his prime, warming up the dancefloor with Top 40 hits and cheesy graduation-themed songs.

Kaiba was fashionably late after the arguments that persuaded him to come. Despite Mokuba’s nagging, he could admit that he was just a pinch curious about what Joey had decided to wear on his tab. Otherwise, he wanted nothing to do with being there. He didn’t even like any of them, for god sake.

“Kaiba, you look wonderful tonight!” Girls from his classes, whose names he didn’t know, swooned and giggled to themselves as he whisked past them. Compliments, lovely, he knew he looked _delicious_. But he had zero interest in those girls who were never interested in Kaiba for Kaiba’s _stunning_ personality, it was all about finding a trust-fund husband who would fund their future jobless lifestyle. And, even a straight man could appreciate Kaiba’s legs. Kaiba swatted away a girl trying to pass her number onto him, pulling a face of disgust at her until she huffed away.

“Aw, Rich Boy!” Joey drawled, catching Kaiba out of his autopilot find-the-nearest-corner daze. Joey’s face lit up with that cheesy, annoying optimism he always carried when he was in a good mood. “I thought ya weren’t comin’!”

“I didn’t have a choice.” Kaiba glared at Joey, giving him a once-over look. Admittedly, he was inwardly impressed; easily dressed second-best in the hall only to himself. “Predictable you went for Red and Black.” Kaiba instinctively straightened out the collar. “They did a good job with the tailoring,” he merely hummed before pulling himself an arm’s length away again. They did more than a ‘good job’ but that’s what he paid for, and why he was a repeat customer. But he hardly wanted to shower unnecessary compliments and make Joey think he was interested in skin-deep conversations.

“Y’can’t call me predictable Mr Blue an’ White.” Joey poked his tongue out. “But yeh, t’anks again. Or not. Whatever.” Joey handed over a paper cup to which Kaiba just held and eyes suspiciously. “It’s punch. Nothin’ excitin’.”

“How do I know you’re not trying to poison me,” Kaiba sneered.

“Jeez, lighten up, we’re all jus’ here to have a good time.”

Kaiba rolled his eyes. He took a sip and realised there was a shocking afterburn. “Who spiked the fuckin’ punch.” It was cheap alcohol, Kaiba never drunk _cheap_ alcohol.

Joey giggled. “Yeahhh, that was Duke. It’s jus’ Vodka.” He winked, before prancing away with cups in hand for his friends. Kaiba sighed, this was going to be a loooong hour. So, he held his breath and downed the cup, before it could hit his tongue again, and when nobody was watching the table, he grabbed another cup. Because if he was already at a cheesy ball, there was nothing wrong with him indulging in something to take the edge off what was otherwise awful.

-

Sometime in the first half an hour, the announcements of the night’s proceedings began. Great, there _was_ going to be a ball King and Queen, but it had already been voted on. Kaiba just prayed that he wasn’t ironically voted in or some shit.

“This year’s King is…Duke Devlin!” the announcer boomed, and all the girls screamed. He was the antithesis of Kaiba, flaunting his looks and wealth, and wining and dining different girls daily. He jumped up on the stage and accepted his tacky rhinestone Sceptre and tacky Crown, posing like a model and lapping up the screams. “And the Queen is…” Kaiba tuned out and rolled his eyes as a popular girl squealed and ran up on stage to pose with Duke. He didn’t know her name either, he didn’t care. All these boys and girls were insignificant, and he’d never have to see them again in just mere weeks’ time.

As is cliché, the first song was Don’t Stop Believing, led by Duke and Popular-Girl before other couples joined the floor as the guitar solo amped up into the chorus of the song.

A shy girl, which Kaiba recognised from his Economics class, approached Joey for a dance, blushing. He smiled at her and Kaiba heard him say “ah, I appreciate it, but I can’t dance! Sorry!” She smiled as he stepped away to grab another cup of punch, a rosy hue over his cheeks indicating that this wasn’t just his second.

“Y’gonna dance?” Joey asked, finding Seto standing in his corner scowling, handing over another cup of punch.

“You trying to get me drunk, Wheeler?”

“Maybe you’d be more fun wit’a bit of alcohol.” Kaiba rolled his eyes but accepted the drink. “Dance wit’ me?”

Kaiba nearly choked on his drink. “In your wildest dreams.”

“Maybe so.” Joey winked, and Kaiba’s face burned. He pushed the tipsy blonde out onto the dance floor alone and continued to lurk in his corner.

As the song changed to a party poppin’ “Milkshake,” Joey was grooving by himself without a care in the world again, like he’d forgotten his momentary interaction. And Kaiba couldn’t help but chuckle at Joey’s enthusiasm despite his rhythm. Jesus, what was Joey doing? Was that his attempt at _twerking_? Disgusting. Joey was laughing, and that suited him more than any fancy-ass suit ever could. And his friends had stopped slow-dancing, and had joined him in their stupid, happy-go-lucky innocence.

Poker Face was next, and Kaiba groaned, grabbing another cup of punch before sauntering outside. He thought about calling his limo. The music was terrible, cheesier than a movie. He had nobody he wanted to dance with, nobody he wanted to talk to. He didn’t _like_ anybody here.

Joey noticed Kaiba’s disappearance and debated internally with alcohol-filtered thoughts whether to keep dancing, before deciding to slip out of the crowd unnoticed.

“And it follows me like a dog too,” Kaiba muttered, leaning back on the wall, putting one foot flat against it. Was this his attempt at a nonchalant pose? He looked so out of place pretending to be ‘too cool’ for school.

“Come on, Kaiba. For what’eva reason you’re here, why dontcha try havin’ a good time?”

“Impossible.”

“Dance with me!” Joey grinned, slyly.

“No thanks, I’d get rabies.” Kaiba finished the rest of the punch in his cup, before clenching his fist and letting it crumple in his palm.

“Jeez Kaiba, would you chill th’ fuck out fa’ once!?” Joey fished around in his pocket and pulled out a cigarette. Stuck it in his mouth, and inhaled as he lit it to make it catch. “You’re so fuckin’ uptight. Want one?”

“Cigarette smoke is a bitch to get out of a suit, and you can’t afford to get it dry-cleaned.”

“Whatev’a.” Joey lit up anyway, blowing the smoke downwind from the pair.

“When did you start such a disgusting habit?”

“Fuck off, Mr Hypocritical. Ya out here drinkin’ cheap punch. Bit rich t’ judge me.”

“That’s a lot of syllables, don’t give yourself a headache, idiot.”

“Well, why’re you drinkin’?”

“Why are you smoking?” Kaiba paused at the rhetorical question but entertained it anyway. “This is how I’m tolerating this disaster.”

“Why’d you come then if you feel so strongly about it?” Joey shuffled his feet uncomfortably, taking a quick puff on the smouldering cigarette. He didn’t smoke, much, but he always felt like once he had that warm alcohol buzz, and when he was feeling stressed. And especially when he mixed the two.

“To see what fashion disasters would turn up; and which terrible music choices the DJ would choose tonight. I didn’t have much of a choice with Mokuba anyway.” Kaiba watched intently at Joey smoking the cigarette, focussing a little too hard on his lips as they pursed and sucked air in through the filter. “I’m surprised you scrubbed up so well, you almost look acceptable. Shame about your personality.”

“Hold it, you can’t comment on personality, Moneybags. Th’only way we know y’not a robot is how ya nice to Mokuba.”

“Put your smoke out, Wheeler.” Kaiba hissed. “You don’t need to be tasting like an ashtray for your midnight kiss.”

“I came by myself, Moneybags. I ain’t gettin’ a kiss.” Joey sighed but stubbed out the cigarette, reaching into his pocket and popped a mint in his mouth.

“In that suit, I’d be surprised if you don’t.”

“That’s the closest thing you’ve ever said to a compliment.” Joey’s heart skipped a little beat. “But if you must know, the person who I’d want to kiss won’t even _be here to kiss_ at midnight.” Joey shrugged his shoulders. “It’s not like tellin’ya this is gonna make it any harder, so.”

“Who is she?”

“Heh. She.” Joey walked back inside, leaving Kaiba to ponder that one word.

-

_Who is she?_

As far as Kaiba knew, Joey didn’t have his eye on anyone, in specific. No extra girls in his vicinity, Tea was taken, and it was obvious Joey and Mai weren’t ever going to be an item despite the rumours that had swirled around the duel circuits a few years ago.

And then it hit him like a train.

Thinking Joey was straight was _awfully presumptuous._ Joey hadn’t dated at all throughout High School, apart from a few token dinners with girls. But no _actual relationships._ Sure, Joey had gotten friendly with a few of them and engaged in a few makeout sessions, but as far as he knew from way-too-loud conversations from the nerd-herd, the idiot hadn’t gotten laid.

Knowing your opponent’s weaknesses was important.

Joey had re-joined the dance floor, and despite reaching for his phone, Kaiba had found himself unable to dial his limo to get picked up, so he’d settled against the wall, watching Tristan and Joey have the whitest dance-off known to man and giggling to themselves.

“Now it’s time for the first slow song of the night so grab your crush, girlfriend, boyfriend, or steal someone else’s!” The DJ boomed.

Great.

“This is ‘Still Falling For You’ by the gorgeous Ellie Goulding.’

Yugi and Tea grasped hands, and Tristan held Serenity. Joey exited the dance floor, and leaned against the wall, awfully close to Kaiba.

 _Great, he keeps following me around like a lost dog. He_ wanted _to come to this shit-show._

Kaiba watched Joey out of the corner of his eye. His face was forlorn in some moments and twisted with an alcoholic stupor in others. He almost felt sympathetic. Joey was only here out of obligation, just like him. He _wasn’t_ here to enjoy himself, or dance with anybody, or pine after the girl that could have been. _Guy_ that could have been.

 _Fuck_. It all made sense. Kaiba grabbed another drink and chugged it, feeling that burn in the back of his throat before leaving.

“Richboy, wait.”

“Would you just stop following me like a lost puppy?!” Kaiba’s tolerance was slipping with the inhibition of the alcohol.

“No can do. Somethin’s botherin’ you.”

“That ‘something’ is you, now go away.”

“Nope.”

“What would it take for you to leave me alone?” Kaiba hissed, the cool air hitting their faces but failing to sober either of them up.

“Dance with me.”

“For Christ’s Sake Wheeler, I’m not dancing with you. You’re a terrible dancer. Two left feet.”

“So you were watchin’?”

“Watching you make a fool of yourself.” Kaiba laughed, saying a bit too much thanks to the alcohol. He didn’t know how much Duke had put in the punch, but it was certainly hitting him hard.

“Fine. Forget it. I tried.” The blond stormed off back towards the dance. _The fuckin’ good for nothin’…_

“So, who is he?”

“W..what?” Joey stopped and turned around.

“You heard me.”

“Who is who?”

“My midnight kiss won’t be here at midnight or whatever bullshit.” Kaiba mocked. Was he trying to ignite the same passion and anger out of the blonde? Maybe.

“Why the fuck would I tell ya?”

“What do you have to lose?”

 “Well, it’s not that simple, Kaiba.” Joey sighed, not ready for this kind of confrontation on Ball Night. He should be dancing and keeping Serenity safe from Tristan right now. Not dealing with the King of Ice.

“Call it payment.” Kaiba’s deep-blue eyes stared straight into Joey’s, who tried to avert his gaze. “I’ll ask for nothing more”

“Oh for the love’a…is _that_ really what ya wanna…” Joey sighed, and walked up to Kaiba, standing slightly below the taller man. “Fine. But if I tell ya’ _please_ don’ make my life worse. And please don’t say anythin’ to my friends.”

“I can’t torture you more than I already do.”

“Fuck off. Kaiba. For someone who says they’re so fuckin’ observant.”

Kaiba looked at the frowning blond, expecting him to give a clue.

And it all clicked into place.

Red Eyes Black Dragon and Blue Eyes White Dragon. If Kaiba believed in fate, he decided the gods would be congregated around a crystal ball with a glass of wine in hand laughing him right now.

Kaiba merely pointed a finger at himself while looking at Joey with one eyebrow arched. Joey sighed.

“Yup, okay, now I’ll leave y’ alone.” Joey sauntered away at his failed attempt at asking him a date. It’s not like even in his wildest dreams Kaiba would say yes, but maybe now he’d think twice about pinning him to the ground and whispering taunts into his ears like he was willingly participating in their fucked-up foreplay. It would make it easier to get over such a stupid, stupid crush.

Kaiba stood outside, taking a deep breath as he contemplated his moves. He could leave. He could stay. Neither of these were really the right choice, but he decided he was curious to know _why_ their years of arguments, fights, duels, had caused Joey to be infatuated with him. If anybody in this room had less reason to be attracted to Kaiba, it was the person who knew him better than anybody else. During those fights, duels, arguments, Kaiba had bared more of his soul than he was willing to admit before covering it with insults and shoves, distracting the idiot from piecing it together.

He couldn’t definitively say that he wasn’t mildly physically attracted to Joey, and especially not in that suit. Not with the flush of alcohol dancing over his cheeks hindering his decision-making.

_It’s just a fuckin’ dance._

Kaiba re-entered the hall, and lurked in the corner, away from all the drama with a new cup in his hands and more alcohol in his veins. The room smelled like sweaty teenagers and the floor was sticky with spilled drinks and it was nothing like soirees Kaiba had attended at work for product launches. But for some reason, the ambience of teen spirit grounded him.

_But it had better be the right song because this all sucks._

The pace picked up again with the music, and old music was thrown in the mix. Bohemian Rhapsody had the whole floor dancing; the Time Warp had everyone gyrating their hips like animals; and _whatever the fuck was this fuckin’ Fox song?_ Joey seemingly had become more upbeat about the night.

Kaiba’s entrance to the dancefloor was when the music started slowing down towards the end. As all cliché movies go, it was now or never, with alcohol to blame if it all went wrong.

He snuck in the the crowd, grabbed Joey’s hand, and pulled him out.

“What da fuck Kaiba?”                

“Dance with me.” It wasn’t a question, it was a gruff command with a slur of alcohol at the end.

“Jeez, okay. Didn’t take ya for someone who changes their mind easily.”

Kaiba grabbed Joey, dragging him away from his friends and into an unlit corner where they were no more than two faceless people to anybody else. Enough distance to separate if anybody was coming over, and close enough to slip out of the event entirely if a feeling of doubt even threatened him.

One had on his shoulder, one on his hip, and Joey mirrored.

“Why are you doin’ this for me?” Joey asked. His heart was pounding.

“You won’t leave me alone.”

“I haven’t talked to ya for half an hour!”

“Well, now I won’t have to lie to Mokuba about getting a dance at this shamble of an event.”

Joey scowled. “Don’t be so negative.”

“Shut up, idiot, and just dance.” He rocked Joey from side to side before beginning to add some side stepping. Joey watched carefully, and tried to imitate as best as he could, but he felt hopeless. He wasn’t trained, and the school ball wasn’t like the movies, and things don’t end perfectly.

Joey’s heart dropped into his stomach and he fought back his negative emotions. _But I’ll take what I can get I guess._

“You okay Wheeler?” Kaiba noticed Joey’s emotive face. That is one thing he couldn’t fault, Joey always wore his emotions on his sleeve. When he’s happy, he’s beaming, and when he’s sad, he looks like his world’s about to collapse under him. He was usually the former, and hardly ever the latter, which is why it was so polarising during their awkward movements.

“Huh. Yeah. I’m fine.” He looked down at his feet. “Maybe I just hoped we wouldn’ be fightin’ tonight.”

“I can try to refrain from insults for the rest of the night then. After Midnight it’s fair game.”

“Okay.” Joey cracked a small smile. “That’s a deal.” _It’s a nice consolation prize._

“This is the final song of the night…” purred the DJ, as he dimmed the lights and squeals of delight filled the hall.

The song was a slow, lover’s song. Joey felt uncomfortable. When he asked for a dance, he certainly didn’t mean a _slow_ dance. Even that was too much to ask. Too intimate. Too close. He could hear Kaiba’s breathing as the piano chords started softly in the background.

Joey pulled away.

“What’s wrong?”

“Dis is a lil’ weird.”

“You’re the one who wanted to dance.” Kaiba grabbed Joey’s hands and placed them on his hips, and he wrapped his arms around Joey’s broad shoulders. And he just swayed the Blond from side to side. The lights were so dim they couldn’t make out faces within the crowd, so this didn’t need to be awkward for either of them. Joey’s shoulders were tense but relaxed after realising Kaiba wasn’t hurting him.

With eyes closed Joey drowned out the music and focussed solely on Kaiba’s ambience. Breath shallow, touch barely-there, small movements of his fingers on his shoulders. Aroma like a mix of expensive aftershave, vanilla, and something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. He was warm, and Joey rested his head on the shoulder of his arch-enemy. The soft padding of the blazer was almost made to rest against.

Kaiba noticed, behind the faint smell of cigarette something fruity. _Quite fitting._ He let his fingers run through the soft hair, instinctively resting his head against Joey’s. Swaying gently to the bittersweet song like their last moments would get pulled away in a riptide.

In this moment was such a simple chemistry between the two who usually bicker. There wasn’t any passionate fire, just a smouldering flame struggling for its last moments. There was no fight left in either of them, both had resigned to the fact that they’d both managed to win _and_ lose their head-game.

They had become so spellbound with each other, they hadn’t even noticed the song fade into silence. It was only with the impending luminescence, that they snapped back to their senses, and parted without words. Joey had gotten exactly what he’d wanted tonight, and a whole lot more than he’d bargained for. For that, he would be forever grateful, no matter what the morning would bring for their chemistry.

Seto, however, had gotten more than he deserved, and more than he’d ever intended, and it left him speechless, which was something in his years of dealing with idiots and running a multi-billion-dollar company he _never._

Joey swiftly returned to his friends who hadn’t noticed his absence. He swatted Tristan away from Serenity, as he was clinging just a little too possessively, and they exited towards the field where the finale, fireworks at midnight, would play. It was a nice twist to an otherwise cliché event like a ball. Almost like a New Years’ Celebrations. Except (a little) less alcohol, and a lot less arrests for being Drunk and Disorderly. That’s where the “kiss at midnight” tradition came from. It was strange, coming from a school that otherwise forbade public relationships, but as most of them were already eighteen, there’s nothing they could really do anymore so they caved on their beliefs for just one night.

It was still surprisingly warm outside, and the group gathered near the row of trees around the perimeter of the school. Tea and Yugi were holding hands, ridiculously smitten with each other. Tristan had given up on pursuing Serenity for fear of losing his balls to Joey’s Big Brother Rage and began to search the crowd for other single ladies to chase. Joey stood a step back from the rest of the crowd, both in a state of glowing from being happy, and fear from being _too_ happy. He’d already used his good fortune on merely getting to dance with the man who would surely go back to insulting him and pushing him away tomorrow. He was beginning to dwell on the thought that it might even _hurt_ in the morning, knowing that, even for a brief five minutes, Kaiba could refrain from being a jerk, and just be _nice._ Not sweet or caring, but just _nice_.

“Had any propositions tonight in that suit of yours?” Tristan asked slyly. “If I was a girl, I’d think you were cute!” He wiggled his eyebrows.

“Nyeh, shaddup Tris. Maybe, maybe not.” Joey scanned the crowd but couldn’t see Kaiba anymore.

_I guess this is something I can’t even share with people who would be happy for me. Although, how do you explain a crush on Seto fuckin’ Kaiba to anyone, even your best friends…who still think you’re interested in girls._

And as the countdown to fireworks ramped up, Kaiba found himself in a predicament that he’d never imagined. He wasn’t attracted to anyone. Relationships were a waste of time.

He was going to blame it on the alcohol. Fuck it. They didn’t have to be around each other again and his alcohol swayed him. You’ll regret it if you don’t.

Maybe their chemistry wasn’t as skin-deep as he’d assumed?

“With ten seconds left til midnight, grab the honey of your dreams!”

“Ten.”

“Nine.”

“Eight.”

Joey looked around, all of his friends ready to pucker up, and the alcohol churned in his stomach.

“Seven.”

“Six.”

“Five.”

“Four.”

“Three.”

“Two.”

Before Joey could react, he felt himself being pulled away from his friends.

“One.”

And under the first explosion, he felt his lips on Kaiba’s.


	3. Chapter 3

Joey’s brain couldn’t process it as fast as it was happening, blaming the first moments on the alcohol. He blinked, and it had ended as quickly as it started, but Kaiba was standing in front of him with a slight blush on his cheeks that he couldn’t just blame on the alcohol.

The kiss hadn’t been anything worth shouting from the rooftops about, but it hadn’t been terrible. It was soft, and tasted of cheap alcohol, cigarettes, and an overlying mint.

Thoughts had escaped Kaiba. The only thing that sobered the experience was the explosions in the sky pouring moments of light over the proximity of their faces, and as it went dark, it was easy to pretend that they weren’t kissing.

Joey finally snapped out of his stupor, and grabbed Kaiba to kiss him back, gently holding one hand in his hair, and the other resting on his hips that he’d spent many hours mapping out in gym class.

The kiss was unlike anything he’d ever imagined between the two. He’s always woken up from heavy dreams where one would corner the other, and then they’d yell “shut the fuck up” and get into a dusty fight on the ground, where one would ‘accidentally’ grind on the other and then they’d smoulder, with tongues down their throats and clothes torn off in a pile, and a primal fucking in a dark corner before they’d be back to their infamous quarrelling like they always do.

But no, this was _different._ There was a surprising willingness from Kaiba to just have the moment as it was, without the complications.

 _I’m not attracted to him_ , Kaiba lied to himself. But even so, he stayed planted, lips parted and tongues rolling over each other’s. Maybe it was the heat from the fireworks exploding in the background, which neither of them could hear with their minds so preoccupied, but there was a warmth creeping over his skin, starting from his lips, down his neck, and settling in a place where his heart would be if he was human.

Maybe he was.

Kaiba snapped back to his senses, and he slowly pulled back, and Joey looked up to him as if to ask ‘why’ before realising the fireworks were about to end, and this wasn’t the way he wanted to tell his friends.

Joey went to say something, when Kaiba shushed him with an index finger, which brushed against Joey’s tingling lips. And with that, Seto walked away, without a single word. Like Cinderella, except five minutes past midnight and no wicked stepsisters to avoid, just friends who he was still in the closet around.

Joey stood in silence, trying to process what to do or say next. The experience was _magical_ , but it also felt like a _huge mistake._ Inevitably, Kaiba would be back to his normal shit next week, and this would be their secret, just like the suit, unless he wanted to _pay._ Being indebted to Kaiba wasn’t the plan, but thanks to Duke’s Vodka he’d experienced something so catastrophically lifechanging.

Joey sighed, and his friends gathered around him, done with their Fireworks watching and lip-locking.

“You okay, Jou?” Yugi asked, quietly.

“Huh? Me? Yeah!” Joey replied, unconvincingly, as his mind was running away with him. “Those fireworks were cool, can’t wait for Summer!” he rambled.

Tristan slapped him on his back. “I have no doubts that someone will succumb to the charm that is Joey Wheeler!”

Joey blushed. “Thanks Guys. Don’t worry about me, it’ll happen as it’s meant to!”

“At least your suit was a success! You certainly had attention!” Tea beamed. “If you took a little time to look after your appearance, people would notice you for that instead of the usual ruckus you cause!”

“Aw, shaddup Tea. Gotta be known for somethin’!”

The gang laughed, and Joey began to enjoy his night again. Even with the imminent looming of Kaiba’s RevengeTM, it was still a nice ball season. He got to wear a great suit. He got a dance, and even a _kiss_ from the Icicle, and he didn’t even freeze up afterwards!

-

_Regrets._

Kaiba returned home to an overeager, hyperactive teenager bursting at the seams.

“You promised one hour, but you were gone all night!” Mokuba grinned like an evil mastermind. “Did you have _fuuuuun_!?” He sing-songed in the hall.

“It’s past your bedtime.”

“It’s the _weekend_ big brother!”

“Ugh.” Kaiba hated it when his little brother was right. He loved the kid, with every essence of his soul, but sometimes it was difficult to deal with him – as he got older he became smarter. And from time to time, the teenage angst and hormones would shine through and turn him into a sneaky little shit. Hence the condom incident from earlier in the night.

“Sooooo, how waaaaaas it?” The shorter brother pried again. Kaiba was good at keeping his emotions in check, but Mokuba was equally as good at breaking his big brother from time to time.

Kaiba shrugged his shoulders. “Nothing to report. It sucked. The music sucked. The King and Queen were predictable. _Thanks for wasting my time, Mokuba._ ” He growled, thinking of his lip-assault with the stupid, eight-centimetre-shorter boy. He pulled a face of disgust. Maybe this was a sign to stop drinking cheap alcohol and doing things to appease his devilish younger brother.

“Did you use the coooondommmmmm!?” Mokuba teased. “Did you get a _kiss!?”_

Kaiba grabbed the condom out of his wallet, and threw it at Mokuba. “No, you’re a weirdo. I’m not sleeping with any of my _classmates. Ever!_ ” He made a gagging face, and Mokuba giggled.

“Wanna bet on it?”

“Sure.” Kaiba scoffed, still a little drunk. “What’s the bet?”

“Ummm…” Mokuba thought. He had everything money could buy, so it would have to be something money c _ouldn’t_ buy, like Kaiba’s humility. Then, the idea came, and Mokuba grinned. “If I am ever right, you have to wear a shirt that says ‘I kissed a boy and I liked it.’”

“Mokuba, I’m not gay.”

“Pfffffffft! You’re definitely _not_ straight.” Mokuba let out a loud snort. “Seto Kaiba’s not gay. And the Pope isn’t Catholic. I have a _gaydar_ and it sparkles _every colour of the rainbow_ when I point it at you.”

Kaiba scowled. “Fine. What’s the length of this bet?”

Mokuba grinned. “I mean, you said you’d ‘never’ sleep with one of your classmates, but I think I’ll won’t even need to see the year through. June 30th. You only gotta last like, three months.” Mokuba winked.

“Fine.” Kaiba snapped. “And _when_ I win, you have to wear a shirt that says ‘Seto Kaiba is smarter than me’ for an entire month.”

“That’s a deal I’m willing to make.” Mokuba said triumphantly, and they shook hands like good businessmen do.

-

Over the weekend, Joey had been preoccupied with his part-time job at a convenience store to give the Popsicle Lord much of a second thought. Except, every time he went to the frozen section, he sniggered at the thought that usually Kaiba was colder than that bag of peas, but for one moment he’d let his guard down and was warmer than the fried chicken in the window by the counter. Probably with significantly less salmonella too.

Usually, the school forbade part time jobs, but at their discretion, they allowed Joey to work, if he kept a C+ or higher in all subjects, because they knew his at-home situation wasn’t optimal, but if they asked questions that meant they’d have to intervene. Simply put, Joey’s Father was a drunk, and his drink of choice was similar to his choice in women - whatever was cheap and easy. Joey would often get home to his lifeless corpse passed out in a doorway, or in front of the TV. During the week, the man would drag himself to work, but every night, his liver suffered, and they only had barely enough money to cover rent and electricity after the idiot man had drunk the rest of the money away. So, Joey worked hard to keep clothes on his back, and food in his stomach. It wasn’t much, paying less than $10 an hour, and the school only allowed him to work up to 20 hours during a school week, and more in holidays, but it kept their heads afloat, and gave Joey the money to buy his Duel Monsters cards too.

But Joey did begin to worry as he was wrapping up his midnight shift on Sunday night, that he would have to deal with the tall asshole tomorrow, and it wasn’t going to be pretty. Not only did he now owe him a lifetime of gratitude for making him look handsome in the suit that cost _more than six weeks of wages,_ but he also _danced w_ ith him and _kissed him._

So of course, Kaiba decided to choose that _particular_ convenience store to swing by at 11pm on a Sunday night, so Joey didn’t have a chance to think of retorts in the mirror, which he _certainly_ didn’t do, of course.

“Welcome to F…Kaiba!?” Joey stumbled upon his words as he noticed the cape-wearing Igloo. “Uh…Welcome…” Joey tried to recover himself. He was in the midst of stocking the fridge near the door with more water and CC Lemon.

Kaiba whisked past the Blond, picking up a few things from the back of the store. Gum, water, those Melon Bread’s that Mokuba loves guiltily. Joey eyed Kaiba, jumping behind the counter to ring his items through once he looked committed.

Kaiba’s eyes darted the store to make sure he was alone, and then he leaned in and hissed “I didn’t come here because you’re here, I’d have avoided the place if I knew.” He grabbed out his IC card and tapped it for payment. “You say nothing.”

Joey sighed. “A’ight.” He shrugged, he wasn’t expecting any different. “I guess it’s back’ta fightin’ tomorrow.”

Kaiba smirked. “’Course it is, _mutt.”_ His lips pursed around the word as he paid extra attention to dragging his gravelly voice along the last word to get that _angry_ rise he always gets out of Joey by calling him anything Dog related. He grabbed his bag and whisked himself back out of the store.

But there was something extremely erotic about the way he said the word, and Joey had nothing left to say. Especially not while he was at work, on the clock, but his mouth was dry, and he needed a drink of water and a cigarette.

-

“Idiot.”

“Asshole!”

“I’d call you a dog but at least dogs have brain cells.”

“I fuckin’ hate ya, Kaiba.”

“Feeling’s mutual.” Kaiba picked up his briefcase and walked away.

“No ya fuckin’ don’t. Ya don’t get ta antagonize me and then just fuckin’ walk. Act like a real man!” Joey grabbed the CEO by his bony shoulders and spun him around.

“Don’t. Touch. Me.” Kaiba hissed as he shoved Joey to the ground and kicked dirt at him. “Nothing so common should touch something as precious as this.”

“Changed ya tune then ya fuck?!” Joey scrambled to get back on his feet.

Kaiba leaned in and said, “you say anything and I’ll ruin you, Wheeler.” His lips curled around the words. Joey’s face went white, not realising he’d almost outed them both. And once again, Kaiba pushed him back to the ground and hopped in his limo.

“Joey!” Tristan ran up and grabbed his friend off the ground. “If Kaiba ever gets me alone I’ll deal to him.”

“It’s my fight ta fight, Tris.” Joey brushed the dirt off his pants and scowled. “I’ll make him pay.”

“What’s up? He doesn’t usually get to you quite this much.”

“He’s just a rich prick, and I’m fuckin’ sick of him,” Joey growled, brushing the dirt off his slacks. So, the kiss was fifty shades of wrong, and Kaiba had unfathomed regret about it, and that’s _fine_ , Joey expected as much, but the level of retaliation felt like more than just simple regret and it was chipping away at his nerves, even as they walked away.

“C’mon man, let’s head to the arcade.” Tristan grabbed Joey by his shoulders. “They’ve got that new fighting game I’ve been wanting to try. Yugi will meet us there soon!”

“Good idea, I’ve been wantin’ ta smash ya at a fightin’ game!” And with that, Joey was temporarily distracted from the fight between him and the dumb emotionally-stunted CEO.

“Smash _me!?_ You’d be so lucky!” They bickered as they headed to the arcade, stopping for ice-cream along the way.

“Hey guys!” Yugi beamed, as the two joined him, Tea, and Bakura at the local arcade. Tea was only here to play Dance Dance Revolution, which she was killer at, and she was happy to distract herself for hours while the boys partook in some type of macho-measuring competition. Yugi looked up and down at Joey. “Jeez man, you been rolling in the dirt or something?”

Tristan sighed. “One word. Kaiba.”

Yugi laughed. “You two need to give it up someday!”

Joey clenched his fist. “I’m not here to talk ‘bout that stupid rich boy.”

Tristan and Joey loaded up their IC cards, ready to take each other on, when the shorter Kaiba turned up in the arcade.

“Oh, hey guys!” Mokuba beamed, hair growing past his shoulders and top button of his uniform undone.

“Hey Mokuba! How are you?”

Mokuba grinned. “I’m great! I thought I’d find you here. Mind if I join?”

“No worries!” Chimed in Tea. “The more the merrier.”

“What are you guys gonna play?” Mokuba asked Tristan and Joey, who were notorious for playing a single game for hours on end, if given the chance.

“Well, the new fighting game’s here, so we thought we’d give that a crack!” Tristan said. “Do you want a round?”

“Yeh, sure!” Mokuba smiled, He truly was a fun person to be around, and absolutely nothing like his maniac older brother. Mokuba was nice to everyone and could take a joke. Although, the group certainly noticed him growing up, as his sense of humour had begun to evolve with the teen. Not usually a one for innuendos, Mokuba was certainly picking up on behaviours now.

Joey scowled a little, unintentionally. Seeing Mokuba, no matter how nice the kid was, reminded Joey of the curse of Mr North Pole.

“You alright, Joey?” Mokuba asked. “You seem stressed out today.”

Joey sighed, unclenching his fist. “Yeah, man. Jus’ ya brother as per!”

Mokuba’s eyes gleamed. “Oh, he picking on you again? I’d tell him off if you two didn’t enjoy it so much.” A wry smile appeared on the corners of his mouth.

“You’re getting _such_ an ass-whoopin for that, Mokuba!” Joey jumped on the Player 1 machine. “Game on!”

-

“How was your day?” Mokuba inquired, as they sat opposite each other with a bowl of takeaway curry that Mokuba had picked up on the way home from the arcade. Most nights, Kaiba ate in his office, either at the mansion, or the KaibaCorp building, and caught up on endless streams of emails.

“Uneventful, yours?” Kaiba was reading a newspaper and sipping on a coffee. He’d be up past midnight tonight as he had some proposals due next week.

“Well, I went to the arcade today…”

“With the losers?” Kaiba kept reading the business section.

“Yes, with Yugi and the gang.” Mokuba sighed. “They’re not that bad, big bro! Although, I overheard that your day wasn’t that uneventful!”

“What do you mean by that?” Kaiba looked up at the scraggly haired teen, with one eyebrow arched.

“Oh, just another fight with Joey, huh, big bro?”

Kaiba scowled. “That’s hardly news, Mokuba. The idiot had it coming.” He wondered what kind of story Joey had spun.

“That may be so, I don’t know who said what, or who started it. Maybe just lighten up a little. Unless, you know, you _like_ torturing Joey.” Kaiba glared at Mokuba. “I’m just saying, one of you is going to end up more hurt than you’re prepared for!”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!” The brunette growled.

“I just mean, one of you _will_ get hurt sometime.” Mokuba kept eye contact with his brother. “You can take that to mean exactly whatever you want.”

“I’m pretty sure idiots can’t feel pain.” Kaiba looked back down at his paper. “Besides, I won’t have to see him every day in a month or so, with graduation and all that.”

“Oh, the insults are to mask the pain of a broken heart.” Mokuba grabbed his Melon Bread and ran for it before Kaiba had a chance to react to the light teasing of the younger teen.

“For the last fuckin’ time Mokuba, I’m not gay!”

“Suuuuuuuuure!” called a voice from down the hall as he heard the bedroom door slam.

-

The gang had ended up at the Kaiba Mansion, due to Mokuba’s request, and much to Kaiba’s dismay. Granted, they had two gigantic television, and any video game console known to man was at their disposal, Kaiba still seethed at the thought of the losers gracing his presence, especially on a day when he wasn’t in office.

Sure, it was great that Mokuba had made friends, and even Kaiba could admit they were good friends for him, instilling all those bullshit morals such as friendship and honesty, blah blah blah. Boring.

Yet, Kaiba felt compelled to lurk as the gang took over the living area, though his gut couldn’t spell out why.

Seven of them had gathered; Mokuba, Yugi, Tristan, Tea, Joey, Bakura, and Serenity, who was in town for the week as her school had a break. While Serenity was around, their father always did his best to clean up and not be a visible drunk, so she was staying with Joey.

“Oh hey, Onii-chan, you should join! We’re going to play Mario Kart, and you can play with four people!” Mokuba motioned for him to pick up a controller. “We’re also playing Smash on the other TV if you’d prefer.”

Kaiba looked at the crowd, with Tristan, Tea, Serenity, and Bakura playing Smash, with Tristan clearly being the obvious winner by sucking people in with a Kirby and shooting them off the side of the screen.

“…Fine.” Kaiba grabbed the controller and chose his character. Waluigi. Always a megalomaniac, even in a video game.

Yugi had chosen Yoshi, Mokuba had chosen Luigi, and Joey had chosen Princess Peach.

“…why…?” Kaiba glared at Joey.

“It’s ironic, because you’re the princess here,” Joey smirked.

“Shut it!”

“Play nice!” Mokuba ordered, with a glint in his eye.

  1. 2\. 1. GO!



Yugi raced out into the lead, followed by Mokuba. Kaiba hit Joey with a Red Shell and took him out, leaving him in last place, where he fell off a bridge. Joey got mad, deciding to find revenge on Waluigi. While Yugi and Mokuba were making steady laps, Joey and Seto, as always, got into a very personal war within the game, coming close, lobbing bananas and shells, and cursing under their breath. Seto lost the first round, but in the second, ended up coming first. And in the third, Joey was just about to cross the finish line when Seto launched a Blue shell at him.

“Jesus Christ ‘ya fuck!” Joey cursed, as he lost his first place to Mokuba, and then Yugi, and Waluigi whizzed past him, honking his horn, and rubbing it in with a “Wahahaha!”

“Loser.”

“Guys, calm down!” Mokuba hushed. “Oh yeah, before I forget, Seto, a package came for you! It’s in the kitchen.”

Kaiba got up, curious to what could have been delivered at home. He found the package neatly on the kitchen bench, indeed addressed to Seto without a return address.

He picked it up, it felt soft, like some sort of clothing, so he pried it open carefully, to make sure it wasn’t something illegal. It wasn’t, it was a tee.

 _Jesus Christ has Mokuba already gotten this goddamn T-shirt printed?_ There it was, in all it’s glory. It read in bubblegum pink ‘I kissed a boy and I liked it.’ He shoved it quickly back in the bag.

“What’s dat?” Joey asked, as he came into the kitchen to grab a glass of water.

“Nothing, Wheeler,” he hissed, knowing Joey had caught wind of the writing. “Just a stupid bet from Mokuba.”

“What kinda’ bet?”

“None of your goddamn business.” Kaiba huffed as he sauntered up the stairs to dump the tee somewhere far away from the public eye.

“Hey, Mokuba?” Joey asked. “What’s with that tee?”

Mokuba giggled, knowing he’d timed that _intentionally_. “Oh, Nii-san and I just have a bet going. I’m winning.”

“What kind of bet?” Yugi asked, as they waited for the Brunette to return.

Mokuba giggled again. “If he loses the bet, you’ll see!” He looked over at Joey, as if he already knew about the kiss, but nobody had told him. Joey blushed a little and looked away.

“Oh hey, Bakura’s kickin’ everyone’s ass on Smash!” Joey distracted everyone from the blush. And indeed he was, managing to beat everyone as Marth.

“I’m not just a pretty face!” Bakura said. He was a silent one and chose to enjoy the company of people without participating often, but he was a solid friend, and the group didn’t mind having him around all the same.

Kaiba meandered back to the living room, dark and gloomy again, the human equivalent of a raincloud. While the rest of the group were surprised at Bakura’s victories, Mokuba leaned over and pointed the group out in order.

“Straight. Straight. Straight.” Tea, Serenity, Tristan. “I’d put my money on bisexual.” Bakura and Yugi. “Definitely Gay.” Joey.

“I have half a mind to ground you,” Kaiba hissed.

“I told you my gaydar works just fine, _princess._ ” Mokuba mocked. “Now, you wouldn’t dare ground me in front of _our friends_ , would you?” The teen pouted with puppy-dog eyes.

“I’m going to go grey early,” Kaiba groaned in defeat.

Mokuba left, to grab a drink, and restock the snacks on the table that had been devoured. An array of chips, biscuits, sodas, muffins. Mokuba certainly knew how to treat guests.

“So, what’s with the shirt?” Joey pressed under his breath, while Serenity was kicking ass at Smash now.

“I said _don’t_ , loser!” Kaiba snapped back.

“ _How_ did you come into a bet about _that?”_ Joey teased. “Does Mokuba…”

“No. I’m not doing this here.”

“Then where?”

“Piss off, Wheeler.”

Joey rolled his eyes. “Never a good time for ya, moneybags.” He stormed away from the conversation and went to congratulate his little sister who had apparently inherited his gaming expertise.


	4. Chapter 4

_‘Never a good time for ya, moneybags.’_ Kaiba screwed up his face in the privacy of his own ensuite, splashing water onto his face and staring in the mirror, screwing up his face at Joey’s brazenness.

_Of course, it’s never a good time. I don’t owe anything to you. I have emails to write, assignments to finish, and a younger brother who needs to stop acting like such a shit-stirrer, before I have a moment to think about your sorry ass._

Kaiba began to get angry again realising that he was ironically thinking about him right then. He pinched his arm and sighed that it wasn’t just some fucked up dream.

_Why are you acting like a stupid teenager? You run a multi-billion-dollar company. You’re a genius, and you don’t have time for this bullshit._

Kaiba buried his face in his hands, frustrated that Mokuba had been slowly fucking with his head. There was no way that Kaiba fancied Joey back, and he felt sick to his stomach that Mokuba had been insinuating so over all this time. Even the possibility that there was an inkling of truth buried amongst the silent accusation made Kaiba’s stomach drop.

There’s _no_ way he could fancy the blond idiot. It was simple mathematics.

Kaiba dried off his face, and brushed his teeth, clenching his fist too hard around the handle. With only a few weeks left of classes at Domino High, he could get through it, and then he wouldn’t have to see the stupid dog on a day to day basis, and everything would go back to being fine again, and he’d have all the free time in the world to run his company. He had plenty of external distraction and time off classes before then anyway with KaibaCorp projects that just couldn’t wait until April.

He slipped on his Domino High uniform, and made sure all the extras were neat, just as he did his suit for the ball.

“Morning big brother!” Mokuba chimed as Kaiba made his way to the first-storey kitchen. “How are you this morning?”

“Fine.”

Mokuba quizzed. “That’s not a look from someone who’s ‘fine.’ What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. Just busy.” Kaiba poured himself a coffee into his travel flask and sealed the lid.

Mokuba nodded like he understood, but he knew something else was at play. Was it work? Nah, Kaiba never let work stuff get on top of him while he was at the mansion. He’d stay in his office all day if it did, and probably skip school if it was urgent.

Kaiba swiped an apple from the fruit bowl and chucked it in his bag for lunch.

“You ready?” Kaiba grunted as he checked that he’d grabbed the right laptop charger and headed towards the back door.

“Yeah, I’m ready!” Mokuba grabbed his school bag, and shoved the ready-made piece of toast in his mouth. Mokuba was almost always eating at this point, which was good, because his height was really beginning to catch up. Kaiba considered that Mokuba might end up taller than him.

The car ride was almost silent, except for the concentrated clacking of the keyboard that Kaiba was replying to emails on. He took every opportunity he could get to be on top of his workload, so he didn’t have to miss copious amounts of school. It was one of the things he’d agreed to when he became custodian of his younger brother. He’d pass school with good grades and have an adequate attendance. Something about ‘personal growth’ and ‘people skills’ or some psychological bullshit that no amount of money could pay his way out of.

Kaiba made sure to drop Mokuba off at school first, before heading to Domino High, which was only a few blocks away. Mokuba always finished at a different time to the CEO, so their car rides home were often separate, but Seto always tried to make sure Mokuba was getting to see him at least once a day, even if they didn’t talk a lot.

“Bye, Seto!” Called the younger brother as he slung his bag over one shoulder and boosted off into the day. Seto almost forgot that Mokuba had turned into a conniving teenager from the innocent preteen he used to be. But as Mokuba left the limo, he slyly dropped something onto the floor.

Another fucking condom.

Kaiba groaned, and picked it up off the floor, shoving it into his jacket pocket. Why must he be tortured like this, when all he tried to do was be a good older sibling!? He closed his laptop, slid it into his bag, and muttered a departure to his limousine driver, as he stepped foot into his high school.

_Two more weeks in this dump._

Kaiba slid into his homeroom, and took his desk, which, of course, was the desk in front of Joey’s. As he settled himself in for the day, he noticed the pack of idiots crowded around Yugi’s desk, looking at photos from the ball that had been printed professionally. Solomon Moto had decided he needed to get the old-school camera out, and take photos of the group before they had left, and he’d finally managed to pick the film up from being developed. In the day and age of smartphones, you’d think they would’ve just taken a selfie and been done with it, but nope.

Kaiba peered over at the group of losers, as they were giggling, and talking about the hottest single of the night, Mr Joey Wheeler. But damn, the photos really did do him justice.

“Alright class, settle down,” the teacher called, and everyone returned to their seats. As they did, Joey slipped a photo to Kaiba without anybody else looking, and Kaiba began to burn a hot shade of fuchsia. _Why the fuck did he do that?_ Kaiba shoved it into his bag, between his laptop so it wouldn’t fall out, and tried to forget about the stupid fucking photo from that stupid fucking dance.

-

For the first time in a long time, Kaiba briskly walked past the group and _didn’t_ antagonise Joey, much to their horror and delight. Joey briefly considered chasing down Kaiba to send him to a doctor since it was completely out of character. Maybe he’d bumped his head. Or, the next time was going to be twice as terribly. Probably that.

Kaiba entered his limo, barked an order, and popped open his laptop, forgetting that he’d slid the photo in there.

An impulse to tear the photo in half was quickly overshadowed by curiosity, and Kaiba raised his hand to look at the glossy paper in depth. It was a photo of the whole team, with Tristan and Serenity, and Tea and Yugi’s matching outfits, and between the two couples was Joey. He was beaming, and the suit was very becoming on him. The photo did such him justice, and Kaiba honestly couldn’t fault him, no matter how hard he searched in his head to do so. Except maybe his hair. If he’d learn to do his hair, maybe he wouldn’t look like such a lost cause.

Kaiba closed his eyes and took a moment to remember the night. How did they even get into such a predicament? This was all over a stupid suit, and a fleeting act of _community service_ by the CEO who felt sorry after watching Joey struggling with having enough money to buy running shoes. His credit card laughed at the measly $1200 that was spent, like it was dropping a dollar.

This was also the fault of his cheeky younger brother. Kaiba would _never_ have those thoughts alone, and maybe the thirteen-year-old was responsible for a lot more than just a mild amount of meddling.

Kaiba had even come to accept that the dance, no matter how awkward, was a nice gesture, and that maybe he didn’t even hate himself for doing it, although he would never admit that to anybody. Joey didn’t know even the basics of a classic dance, and Kaiba was doing him the favour of letting him leave his final senior year experiencing what it’s like to be a normal teenager. Even himself, now he could say he’d had the experience of doing something a teenager _might_ do, and that should be enough to appease everyone. If he’d tell them, which he won’t.

And how about that kiss? An absolute mistake. Shouldn’t have happened. Why did Kaiba even instigate such bullshit.

Because there’s a part of his gut that had always wondered about how soft those lips were, even as they wrapped around the barrage of insults and abuse, week in week out.

Yes, fights that _he_ usually instigated. Semantics.

In his gut, he knew he wasn’t straight years ago, when the hottest women were hitting on him during all aspects of his business, and he wasn’t interested in the slightest. He’d just waved it off as being either ‘too busy for that,’ or ‘possibly asexual.’ He hadn’t even considered being into guys, before _this_ he also wasn’t thinking about guys, at all.

Rather, it was just one guy, and he was tall with stupid blond hair, a stupid laugh, _and stupidly soft lips. But that doesn’t make me gay if it’s just one stupid kiss._

_Who needs those kinds of labels, anyway?_

For the second time that day, Kaiba buried his head in his hands at mercy to the memories from the energetic kid from the rough side of town. _I need a drink._

-

Kaiba had wound up having more than just a _single_ drink -  maybe more like an _entire bottle_ of whisky. Though it took the edge off his anger, what it didn’t do was take the edge off his _feelings._ They do say that a drunken sentence is a sober thought. He didn’t know what compelled him to drunk-dial Joey on LINE.

Joey looked at his phone buzzing, and when he saw the name he considered throwing his phone across the room. _Seto Kaiba._ What was he doing, and why was he calling at 8pm?

“H…hello?”

“Wheeler.” The brunette hissed into the phone. “You’re an idiot.”

Joey sighed. “Whaddid I do this time?” A whole day without torture was surely too good to be true, right? But usually that torture didn’t follow him home, let alone call him.

“Why’d you give me that _hic_ damn photo…” the CEO slurred.

“Oh, Kaiba, ya pissed!” Joey stifled a laugh, not wanting to anger the man on the other end. The mental imagery Joey had conjured was nothing short of fantastic. Kaiba in a rich suit, slouched over a toilet, vomiting his brains out. Just desserts.

“I don’care. Y’answer me.”

“’Cause I thought my fairy godmother might like ta see how Cinderella turned out!” Joey sighed, playing with loose strands of his blond mane, legs crossed as he sat on the edge of his bed. He thanked his lucky stars that his father wasn’t home.

“You’re an’idiot. And I saw’ya in person.”

Joey laughed. “Yeh, I know that. Is there anotha’ reason to this call.”

“Nope. _Hic._ Just to call’ya an’idiot.” And with that, Kaiba hung up the call and shoved his phone back into his blazer pocket, leaving Joey to only but think _that’s gonna be one hell of a hangover._

Kaiba dragged his ass out of the office chair, albeit it wobbly, and made his way to his room. It was extremely gauche to be drinking in his school uniform, and to be making drunk calls so early in the night. He made his way to the bathroom to take a leak, and caught his face in the mirror, and let out a splutter, both laughing like a maniac and growling at himself for letting his inhibitions go like this. He hadn’t realised how drunk he was until he couldn’t catch his reflection in the mirror, wobbling about with a lopsided grin.

Kaiba doesn’t _get drunk,_ he usually just drinks one or two for that little buzz you get because it relieves the pain of social gatherings for work, and it’s impolite to sit around a meeting table after dark with nothing in your hands. Even the ball night was an anomaly, and he still couldn’t explain why he was so hooked to that terrible punch with that burning vodka. But even that was more explainable than sitting at home getting wasted on a school night.

A night of firsts.

All over a dumb fuckin’ photograph.

-

Before school, Joey made sure to hit a convenience school, picking up a pair of energy shots, a bottle of water and some painkillers. By the state of the phone call last night, Richboy was going to be needing it. If he came to school at all. He was sure to though, as there was an in-class test worth a cool 25% in History.

Kaiba sauntered in, visibly looking worse for wear. Normally, even in a tired state, he’d have his hair done, and his uniform would still be impeccable, and you’d only be able to tell by a few lightly set bags under his blue eyes, but he’d be hopped up on caffeine and his work ethic wouldn’t falter. But not today, Kaiba’s uniform wasn’t ironed nicely, and his hair was a _mess._

“Are you here to _mock_ me?” The brunette hissed, bracing for the worst as Joey approached him in the quiet classroom. Kaiba was always relatively early compared to the rest of his class due to his morning schedule with getting Mokuba to school on time. Joey managed to slip in without the rest of the gang, so nobody would know of their interaction.

“No, Moneybags. I just came to be nice. You should try programming that into yourself sometime.” He thrust the bag at him, and left without saying another word to join his friends outside who were enjoying the morning sun under the blooming Sakura trees.

Kaiba peered inside, worried it was going to be some sort of prank, or worse yet, another fucking photograph. But a small sigh of relief came instead when he realised the bag was full of good intentions.

 _I’m not a charity case._ Kaiba thought, exasperated. Although he did do as intended, and took the hangover shots, and the painkillers, and downed the bottle of water.

The sound of Joey and Tristan entering the classroom bickering about some sports related thing snapped Kaiba back into the harsh reality of a banging headache, and glazed over eyes from the hangover. He rested his forehead on his hand, and looked down at his cellphone.

“Kaiba sure looks worse for wear,” Tristan smirked, eyeing the suffering CEO from his own desk.

“Kaiba never comes to school looking so run down, even when he works so hard!” Yugi peered over out of the corner of his eye. “I wonder what happened?”

Joey didn’t say anything, uncharacteristically. “Where’s your insult, Joey? You leave it at home today with your homework?” Tristan laughed, jabbing the blond in his ribs.

“Naw! Just have a feelin’ richboy has a hangover,” Joey quipped back. “Neva’ seen him look like such a garbage pile before.” He laughed, being egged on by his friends. He couldn’t _not_ act normal, or else they’d start being suspicious, they were smart after all.

As Joey headed to his desk, he made eye contact briefly with the alcohol poisoning victim, and felt his phone vibrate in his pocket as he sat down.

One Line Message.

_Kaiba: Thanks._

_-_

“Hey, Blue-Eyes, how’s the hangover,” Joey teased out of earshot of his friends as the Brunette left the building.

“One. Don’t start giving me stupid pet names, dog. Two. It’s gone.”

Good, Kaiba was back to normal.

“Oh,” Joey smirked. “I just thought this might have put us back on an almost equal playing ground now that _I_ have something to blackmail _you_ over.”

“I’ll end you faster than you can count to ten, if you can even count that high.” Kaiba grumbled.

“I’ll have you know I’m passing Maths, thanks for ya concern!” Joey retorted, brushing off the insult.

“If you call scraping a C minus a pass… Would you like a gold fuckin’ star?” Kaiba seethed back. It was good to be back to insults and pretending nothing had happened. Just erase these last two weeks, please and thank you.

“Some of us can’t pay for our accolades,” Joey pushed back, getting right in Kaiba’s personal space.

“I don’t _need t_ o pay for awards. I earn them within my own right.”

“Awards don’t mean anything, if you have the personality of an Ice… _Princess.”_ Joey wrapped his lips around those words, knowing how much it bugged him when they were playing Mario Kart together. “Let me know when you need saving from a tower or something, Rapunzel.”

“You’d be the last person I’d call, you idiot,” Kaiba seethed.

“Apparently not,” Joey said, and leant into beside Kaiba’s ear, barely above a whisper, but with a sexy undertone. “If last night was anything to go by.” A glint of victory came across the honey eyes and he bit his lip.

Kaiba grabbed Joey’s collar, dragging him around a corner. Making sure nobody was in sight, he pinned him against the wall above ground. For Kaiba to be the first one to make physical contact, Joey r _eally_ had gotten under his skin.

“You better fuckin’ watch your mouth.”

“Or you’ll do what?” Joey encouraged, ready to fight back biting his lip again as if to welcome any outcome but expecting to be punched in the face.

Now, what Kaiba was meant to say was “I’ll fucking break you” or even “I’ll ruin you,” or maybe a friendly “I’ll take what’s yours and destroy it” but, if you can call it a Freudian Slip, something completely out of his control happened.

He kissed Joey again, grabbing him by the wrists and holding him in place with the pressure of his hips. The kiss wasn’t _nice_ this time, it was dominating and hungry; it tasted like anger and frustration.

This was much more like the kiss Joey had dreamed about, and he wasted no time after the initial shock of his reaction pushing his hips forward. If Kaiba wanted to play, Joey was ready. He parted his lips, and let Kaiba take what he wanted, moaning around his tongue and feeling his body electrify. Joey smelled like sweat and pheromones, it was an animalistic lust that caused Kaiba to jut his hips forward, losing his grip around Joey’s wrists as he snaked his fingers under his uniform shirt.

There was such a fine line between love and hate, and lust blurred that line into a grey. Both teens losing their will to fight the feeling of pure ecstasy after spending so long wanting, needing sexual contact. Joey’s hands first grabbed a handful of Kaiba’s, tugging at his hair and causing him to arch his neck back and gasp for air before he scratched his nails down his shoulder blades, ribs, the small of his back, eventually grabbing his well-shaped ass like an animal, pulling Kaiba further into their making out.

The heat from their lips spread throughout their whole body with growing problems in their pants, and unvoiced permission to keep going. 

They parted for air, crimson blush covering their cheeks, and hunger in their lust-filled eyes. And a sudden panic, recalling that they were both still at school in their uniforms making out just metres from other students.

Where do you go from a moment like this, where you relinquish all right to say that kiss was a mistake, and those feelings of lust weren’t genuine attraction?

Home. That’s where you go. Alone. Kaiba dropped Joey quicker than a smouldering ash, and without explanation, left the idiot speechless.

 _God fucking damnit,_ Kaiba thought, with a cloudy head, as he jumped in the back of his limo, neck sweaty and an obvious erection only covered by his briefcase. He was left with a hollow feeling like he’d been punched straight in the stomach, gasping for air.

Once was a mistake; twice is a _choice._

 


	5. Chapter 5

“Welcome home, big brother!” Mokuba called out from the dining table, where he was sprawled out in the late afternoon sun doing his homework.

“Hello, Mokuba,” the brunette said, coolly, throwing his bag onto a seat beside his brother, and grabbing a glass of water.

“How was your day?”

“Fine.” Seto dropped his keys on the counter and leaned beside Mokuba’s sprawl of paperwork.

“Oh, I get it” Mokuba rolled his eyes. “It’s a one-word answer type of day. Awesome.” It had been obvious that he’d succumbed to a trip to the convenience store, picking up Melon bread and devouring it in the short time he’d been home, crumbs littering the countertop.

“Shush you, how was your day?” Seto idly brushed the crumbs into his hand and threw them in the rubbish bin.

“It was fine.” Mokuba twirled his pen in his fingertips. “I have a buttload of homework though.”

“Which class?”

“Mathematics.”

“You on top of it?”

“Yeah, I think so. Except maybe this problem…” Kaiba peered over Mokuba’s shoulder. Maths was easy to Kaiba, and he grabbed a pencil and showed Mokuba how to work out the problem step by step. No matter his Frosty The SnowCEO exterior, for his little brother he’d do anything, and rather enjoyed these small and fleeting moments with the wild-haired younger brother, especially while they were steeped in innocence, and while Mokuba still actually wanted Kaiba around. Kaiba worried about the later teenage years, and whether Mokuba would eventually pull away and become a sullen, hormone driven teenager prone to arguments.

“So, what’s on your mind, Seto?” Mokuba enquired, softly. “You seem distracted.” Kaiba had begun to draw a sketch of a Blue Eyes on a leftover piece of working out paper, paying attention to the dragons’ eyes.

“You know, Mokuba, school’s almost over, which means I’ll be having to invest all my time into my business again, and that takes me away from this routine.” He sighed a little. “I’ll miss this is all.”

“You know, big bro, you don’t have to change a thing if you don’t want to,” the younger brother mused. “Sure, you won’t be physically going to school, but you could always try to be home early. At least a few times a week I’d like to have dinner with you.”

“I’m afraid that’s not possible. There’s a lot of projects beginning soon that will require my utmost attention. New KaibaCorp expansions, talks of building another theme park. I’ll have you in on the meetings during your school break, of course.”

Mokuba thought for a while. “Maybe you need to keep some form of routine though. I really think going to school has been good for you, being around people who aren’t so business driven. Maybe you should find a solid group of friends, or a boyfriend to keep you grounded?”

Kaiba froze. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me. Make some friends, get a boyfriend.” Mokuba winked, clearly wanting to win the bet.

Kaiba faltered for a minute before replying. “If you’re going to bring up the subject of a _boyfriend_ Mokuba, then I’ll let you know something. _You can stop dropping condoms everywhere like the condom fairy._ I’ll have you know I have plenty of my own. Since you’re so eager to be this forward about sex and relationships, I take it I don’t need to give you the talk about the birds and the bees, and I’m rather thankful for that.”

Mokuba blushed, but the older Kaiba continued, with the sole premise of a little revenge for his meddling.

“With a credit card of this prestige, I could buy anything I wanted or needed. Lube, vibrators, fleshlights,” Seto smirked.

“EWWWWWWWWWWWW!” The younger brother howled as he ran out of the room covering his ears with his hands.

Seto was hopeful that would shut his perverted ass up for now.

 _At least he’s stopped denying it,_ thought Mokuba, otherwise scarred from the conversation that would take years of intensive therapy to forget.

-

Joey tentatively entered the apartment, which he could smell from down the hall. For fuck sake, his father was already home, and was already ridiculously drunk considering it was barely even dinner time.

Joey flinched as he opened the door to his apartment, noticing the cans strewn around the apartment and the older man sitting on the couch, with some stupid show blaring in the background.

“Joeyyyyy,” slurred the man. “How’s ya dayyyyy?”

“Fine, Dad.” He looked at the heavy-set wrinkles in the face of the man who he could barely call more than an acquaintance. Sometimes he’d go for weeks at a time without seeing him as he’d usually be straight to a bar after work. Joey’s job was to lay low and keep the apartment relatively clean for his own sanity, and to stop from being pelted with drunken ammunition.

“You’re graduating schoon,” the man murmured.

“Yes, Dad, in about two weeks now.”

“What’re you gonna do with your life?” The man took a gulp of the can in front of him.

Joey shrugged. “I guess I’m just gonna be a loser or summat.” He hadn’t really given it much thought since there was no way he was going to pass his Centre Test. Maybe get a standard blue-collar job. Work to afford to enter more Duel Monsters competitions.

“With an attitude like that, of course you’re gonna be a loser. Work til ya die. Maybe you’d amount to somethin’ if you’d stop playing that stupid card game.”

The words cut deeper than Joey would ever admit, and the blond flinched. “Okay Dad, there’s food in the fridge, I’m just gonna get changed and head out.”

“Whatever.” The drunk focused his attention back on the inane television drabble.

Joey slipped into his room, and out of his school uniform, and into his usual jeans and tee combo. The jeans were a little too loose now, Joey could admit he wasn’t eating as much as he’d like to, but there wasn’t a lot he could do when the extra money he was using to pay the bills was being drunk away by his dropkick Dad. On almost the same wage, and doing more than other eighteen year olds should.

 _At least he didn’t hit me this time._ Joey looked at a bruise above his hip that had almost fully healed, and the cut from the bottle he’d thrown at him a few weeks prior had scarred over and was fading away.

Joey snuck out of the apartment, overwhelmed by the day. Not only had his Dad been home, to be a useless suck on society, but Kaiba had kissed him like he’d meant it, and ditched him.

You don’t just _kiss_ someone like that and leave suddenly like a stupid booty call.

Joey walked to Domino Park, musing over the inner workings of the CEO’s brain. Confused beyond any other emotion, he chucked a cigarette in his mouth, and flicked his lighter, inhaling until it caught, taking a long drawl. There was such a calming thing about being able to escape with something that wasn’t _illegal, e_ ven though he was underage. But it was really the same as Seto Kaiba getting drunk and calling him.

As he exhaled, his head began to spin. That’s what he came out here for; a way to begin to even process the kind of day he’d had.

Firstly, he hadn’t meant for Kaiba to get so riled up. He hadn’t meant for Kaiba to kiss him, and he hadn’t meant for him to _enjoy it._ Sure, in his wildest dreams, having Kaiba naked and panting under him as he topped was at the top of his list, but not in unamicable ways like this. Joey didn’t want to entertain the thought of sleeping around like it didn’t matter. Kaiba and Joey’s quarrels were a routine, and how was he meant to know he would elicit any other reaction from normal, especially after he’d been told to shut up and act like nothing had happened?

Secondly, he’d had to consider the likelihood of never really amounting to anything outside of school. While all his friends had goals, Joey really had nothing going for him, and would likely end up in the town alone, working a dead-end job, wondering how to fill his weekends. Except, obviously, with Seto fuckin’ Kaiba lurking around every corner, being a giant CEO dickbag.

Thirdly, although his father might not see the merits in playing that “stupid” card game, coming runner-up in Duel Monsters tournaments had netted him with enough money for the time being to keep the power running at their house. Other than the time he’d paid his Sister’s eye operation, Joey’s cash prizes had all gone towards their general expenses. Without his talent, they’d _certainly_ be worse off for wear. If he was in a better position financially, he’d be entering more tournaments once school was over, but they would either require an entrance fee, or he’d be blowing off shifts at work, which is precious money he can’t let go to waste for the chance at a prize, even if his chances were good.

He pinched the cigarette between his index finger and middle, bringing it back up to his lips and taking another hit. Joey wasn’t addicted to cigarettes, and he knew he could knock them anytime, but they brought a moment’s reprieve and a temporary high from the headspin which he needed to cope and process his fucked-up life. He rolled the smoke around his tongue before exhaling slowly, trying to blow a smoke ring. He hadn’t figured that out yet.

Of all the things that were wrong, the top of his list was Seto Kaiba. It had obviously presented itself as more than just a fleeting thought, and people don’t kiss twice without consideration. But how was Joey meant to get Seto Kaiba’s attention for good, when the only thing he was good at was being cold. Would Kaiba avoid him from here on out? Would they never see each other again outside of the duellist circuit?

A tear began to form in his eyes. When did this all get so complicated? Joey wiped it away, but another one formed, and he looked down at the ground, drops beginning to fall by his feet. He felt used, and disgusted, and like he’d forced Kaiba into something he hadn’t wanted, despite being on the receiving end of this kiss.

He only had two weeks to figure it out, but where do you even start with a problem like this between two people who weren’t even _friends_?

-

Mokuba had invited the gang around for another games night. The teenager had friends of his own age, although had the same trust issues Kaiba did as to if they liked him for his name or status, or if they genuinely thought he was a decent guy with a stunning personality.

Yugi, Tea, Tristan and Joey had accepted the invite, although Joey was a lot more hesitant to say yes than he’d been before, but when asked about it he faltered and decided to act like nothing had happened.

He hadn’t seen Kaiba at school all day, presumably on business. But Joey had a feeling in his gut that the previous fight had a lot for them both to process. Even Joey’s friends noticed he wasn’t in the greatest of spirits, but Joey pinned it on a grade he’d gotten back for his Science Homework. C’s might get degrees, but they don’t give you many options for your future.

Still, the group gathered at the Kaiba Mansion, where Mokuba set them in front of a light-hearted movie with a moral feel good story, and Joey’s spirits lifted a little. Even though he knew he’d probably have to deal with the walking ice-cube at some point, he still genuinely liked Mokuba, and getting to spend time with friends who were nice. Especially, after dealing with his Father last night, too.

The movie ended with the main friend group splitting off to go follow their dreams at University, which swiftly evolved into the group’s future plans.

“When do you go to Dance School, Tea?” Tristan asked.

“I leave in about a month. The school starts in six weeks, but I want to get acquainted with the area first.” Tea smiled, bashfully. All those countless hours on the DDR mat at the arcade really paid off for her, and she was heading to New York to take her dancing professional.

“Do you have a place to live?”

“Yes, the school has a dormitory for students, with a shared living space, so I should be able to make friends. Tristan? When do you leave?”

“I’m headed to Europe, so their school year doesn’t start until September. So, I figured I have five months between finishing and starting to work a little, and then jet over during the middle of summer for a little traveling.” Tristan’s parents were a bit conservative, to everyone’s surprise considering how wild and rebellious Tristan could be at times. But they also had the cash to spend, and hoped that Tristan would follow his dreams. “I won’t leave for another two months or so.”

Mokuba looked in awe, at the group getting to follow their own destiny. While KaibaCorp was something Mokuba was interested in and was infinitely grateful for, he always wondered how life would have been without the money, and what experiences he would have otherwise grown up to have.

“Where’s your University, Yugi?” Mokuba asked, knowing the spiky-haired boy’s ambitions lay deeply within the discovery of Atem, and the bond he shared with Egypt.

“I’m shortlisted for a University in Osaka, so it’s not too far to travel. I start in April, so I leave about two weeks after final exams, but I’ll be living there during term, and coming back and helping at the Game Shop during the holidays. You’re all welcome to visit!” Yugi beamed, excited to be making his way in the world alone. The prospect of self-growth was important, as he usually faced all obstacles with the whole group.

“What does that mean for you and Tea?” Mokuba asked.

Tea smiled. “We’ve decided to leave this relationship after we both go to study. It’s not fair to demand time of each other when we’ll likely be travelling and busy with our own projects.”

“That’s really mature of you,” Tristan nodded, impressed.

Joey stood gloomily in the corner, hoping to avoid questions, but to no avail.

“What’s this year holding for you, Joey?” Mokuba asked, with his eyes full of curiosity.

Kaiba lurked in the kitchen, catching the conversation without the blond being any the wiser.

“Well, um, I don’t know really. I guess I’ll gear myself up to take Duel Monsters full time an’ look at somethin’ to supplement my income in the meantime. Didn’t really get the grades to go on from High School,” the Blond scratched the back of his head, trying to make it sound like he actually had a plan, when he didn’t. He knew he had extra hours available at his Convenience Store job when he needed them, but that’s not really a life plan. He had considered prep school for the year, but another twelve months stuck in a classroom sounded like hell.

“Oh!” Mokuba chirped. “We have some beta testing work coming up for the new Duel Monsters tech, and we’ll be taking on workers for that. I’ll get Seto to send you an email if you’d like to join up!”

“Oh, uh, yeah!” Joey replied, hesitantly. “I’d love ta be on board for dat!”

Kaiba buried his head in his hands in the kitchen, realising the gravity of Mokuba’s question, and more importantly, Joey’s reply. It wasn’t going to be as simple as avoiding the blond this year then, was it? He couldn’t just hide for a fortnight and pretend like nothing was happening between the two. He cursed Mokuba’s meddling, like his studies on the brain meant he was becoming a master manipulator.

“Okay, what do you guys want to watch now?” Mokuba flicked back to his hard-drive, searching through the endless movies on his server, before settling on a classic action movie.

-

Joey got up about twenty minutes into the movie, to head to the bathroom. As he headed through the kitchen and down the hall to the first storey bathroom, he heard a voice cut through the eerie silence.

“So, I’m going to have to put up with your moping around the city then?”

Joey rolled his eyes. “Piss off Kaiba, I’m hardly in th’ mood for you.” He closed the bathroom door behind him and hoped that by the time he’d be done, Icicle would have sulked back to his evil freezer. But to no avail, Kaiba was still lurking, arms folded, ready for a confrontation.

“Look, Kaiba, it’s swell that you wanna make up an’ all, but you had a chance to talk yesterday and ya ran away, and I’m just not playin’ these games wit’ ya, alright?” Joey tried to push past but Kaiba grabbed him and whispered into his ear.

“Look, I’m no good with this kind of stuff.”

“No shit.” The blond shoved him away but Kaiba grabbed him again, planting a kiss on his lips again. Third time’s a charm, right?

Joey pushed Kaiba off, “I’d love to kiss ya back with a clear conscience, but I ain’t no booty call, and you ain’t runnin’ away in five minutes when ya brain gets the better of you. Good. Bye.”

“We’re talking about this.” That wasn’t a question, but a command.

“Jeez, Kaiba. I’m in the middle of movies wit’ my friends.”

“I don’t care.” He grabbed Joey by his wrist and checked over his shoulder to make nobody was watching, as he dragged him up the stairs and towards his bedroom. Joey’s head was spinning, in both frustration and excitement.

Kaiba’s bedroom was simply decorated, with one tall white dresser, matching bedside cabinets, and wardrobe with a full-length mirror. A blue sofa and small bookcase overlooked the gorgeous view to the courtyard, and the four-poster bed was neatly made, with four matching pillowcases.

Kaiba pushed Joey onto the bed as he pulled the door behind him shut, straddling him and ravishing his mouth with deep kisses. Joey melted under his touch despite his hesitations, letting out a moan as Kaiba dragged his lips from Joey’s mouth down his jawbone and to his neck. Any reservations that this was the right thing to be doing in this moment had disappeared. This wasn’t _how_ he wanted it, but it’s _exactly what_ he wanted.

Joey’s mind was blank and his hesitations about being a booty call were swiftly erased as he felt Kaiba’s erection pressing against his own. Only in his wildest dreams would he get another shot at touching his aesthetic dream man, wrapped in tight leather pants and a button-down crisp white shirt that was just tight enough over his chest.

Joey flipped Kaiba onto his back, straddling him while he undid each button slowly, only breaking away from kisses for air. As he danced around the last shirt button, Kaiba moaned in frustration, and throatily grunted something inaudible. He made a point of dragging his fingernails along the waistband of the leather and over the protruding erection, fabric taut and leaving nothing to the imagination. Taking the grunt as permission, he slowly unzipped, and Kaiba’s cock sprung free, standing tall, purpling at the tip from the teasing.

Kaiba’s eyes were pools of lust as Joey pulled his lips away from Kaiba, only to reattach them around the tip of his leaking cock. Although completely knew to this, he imagined what he’d like to receive, and began to circle his tongue lightly around the tip, tasting the slightly salty liquid forming around the slit. Kaiba’s eyes fluttered closed, enjoying the moment, biting his wrist to muffle the moans that were escaping.

Joey took the length in his mouth, and sucked gently, left hand stabilising himself from falling, right hand cradling the testicles. He picked up pace as he heard throaty whimpers from the other, sucking with more fervour, wanting to taste Kaiba’s silk. He felt the pulsing of the cock in his mouth, matching his rhythm, begging for release. Kaiba thread his fingers through the blond hair, pushing Joey’s head further down the shaft, and Joey whimpered a little at the lack of air. Head beginning to spin, Kaiba felt the tell-tale tingle deep within his body, which quickly spread to the end of his engorged penis.

“I’m gonna…” Kaiba’s eyes rolled back into his head as he tried to finish the sentence before his cock spurted cum down the back of Joey’s throat in rolling waves. Joey continued to suck until he was sure that Kaiba was clean and swallowed despite the taste. A blush hit his cheeks as he backed away from Kaiba’s wilting penis, his own erection still begging.

Kaiba felt a pang of guilt as he opened his eyes again. It was a foreign emotion considering his history, but Joey had entertained him well, and looked sexy while dishevelled. He pulled the blond back underneath him, unbuttoning his pants, noticing the tiny wet patch where his cock had rubbed against his navy boxer shorts.

Hesitating for a minute, Kaiba thought about the implications of what he was about to do. It pretty much pathed his way down the rainbow-bricked road into full blown gaydom, but still he dove in curiously, wondering what Joey had experienced, as he tried to mimic the movements the blond had, which had driven him wild with desire like he wasn’t just learning on the job.

Kaiba hadn’t known what to expect, and he winced at the salty taste, but soon got used to it. It wasn’t as terrible as he’d thought after the initial shock. His tongue lapped slowly along the head, wrapping lips down the shaft, challenging himself to take the entirety of his penis. He made a mental note that the blond hair was also real, curling his fingers in the pubic hair as he explored his testicles, touching them softly before gripping the base of the shaft. He fought off the gag reflex, learning how to curve his tongue so he could still breathe through his nose.

Joey’s orgasm came suddenly, with no time for warning. It didn’t take the blond as long to climax, with the excitement of remembering his own lips rolling along the CEO’s shaft like a wanton slut as he closed his eyes. Kaiba’s whimpers around the base of his cock was just the icing on the cake. Kaiba also swallowed, not wanting to come off as prissy.

Lying on the bed they revelled in the moments, days, weeks, years of insults, fights, and what must have been flirting of sorts that lead up to them being on the end of each other’s cocks. The great Schopenhauer referred to this moment of clarity after sex as the “Devil’s Laughter,” – realising you’re a slave to your own sexual desires. For one man, it was a moment of happiness, and the other, a deep chasm of despair. Joey laughed; Kaiba groaned.

Joey’s mind quickly shifted back to the movie he was meant to be enjoying, and his face drained of colour. Kaiba looked over, heart dropping, wondering what he’d done wrong.

“The. Movie.” Joey hastily fastened his pants and tried to straighten himself out of the post sex mess, running his fingers through his hair in the full-length mirror. Kaiba nodded, knowing they’d have to pick this up at another time, fear of being outed by his brother at a time that wasn’t right, considering this wasn’t even _serious_ it was just _desires and curiosities_. Joey unlocked the door, and slipped back down to the lounge quietly, where the movie was still playing. Checking the time, only fifteen minutes had passed, he could probably downplay it as a bout of illness. Hopefully his friends hadn’t noticed his absence in the first place.

“Where were you,” Yugi hissed, as Joey plopped back down.

“The shitter,” Joey whispered back. “Stomach was sore.”

“Ew.” Yugi dropped the subject, but Mokuba had his eyes intently on the blond, like he was psychic or something. Joey tried to shake the feeling, pinning it on insecurity and guilt, and tried to concentrate on watching the movie, although his mind was no longer in that specific room, with that specific crowd of people.

_So much for ‘talking’ about it._


	6. Chapter 6

It was Wednesday, of the second to last week at school. Also known as the day after Joey and Kaiba had engaged in oral pleasantries. That date would forever be etched in their minds, kind of like an anniversary, but with less flowers, and more, _swallowing their pride?_

Kaiba and Joey arrived at class at the same time, as luck would have it. Both locked eyes, cheeks turned a shade of beet, before entering the class one after another.

“Mutt,” Kaiba hummed, for old times’ sake. It wasn’t really an insult, more of a statement of acknowledgement.

“Prick.” Joey retorted, with the same carefree attitude.

The group of friends shared a look, rather perplexed at the lack of bite between the boys. Where were the fists? The raised voices? What happened to the rivals they know and love!?

Neither boy had interacted after their steamy bedroom shenanigans the night before, because how do you even start that conversation. ‘Hey, so, do you wanna talk about the fact that you were on the end of my dick last night and you liked it?’ doesn’t exactly have an appealing ring to it, although the mere thought made Joey awkwardly shuffle, trying to hide the growing problem in his pants. _Don’t think about it here._

Being gay brought its’ own string of problems. Neither of the boys were _out_ and even if they were, how would they explain last night to anybody? Also, both as stubborn as the other, nobody was willing to claim ‘winner’ or ‘loser.’ There wasn’t even a ‘ _them’_ to explain. People had sex all the time, get over it. It was just a blowjob. People give and receive blowjobs all the time.

Except, maybe not with their mortal enemies. Nope. This secret follows them to the _grave_.

Kaiba was having an internal crisis over the implications that he’d solved his sex-drive issues. Sitting by the window, second desk to the back, tapping his long fingers, and perfectly manicured nails, in a rhythm on the desk. The same rhythm he’d been bobbing his head in between the blond’s le… _Jesus Christ, stop being a hormonal mess._ He put on his reading glasses, and opened his laptop, taking a moment to begin typing a reply to an email, trying to distract himself. Work was a welcome distraction from the moments of last night his brain wouldn’t let him forget.

As Joey headed to his desk, before the class was about to begin, he took a moment to appreciate the beauty. Seto Kaiba had a gorgeous face, but the glasses really suited him, too. They made him look dignified. Almost, sexier, as if he could _be_ any sexier?

Their chemistry was purely physical, wasn’t it? _Wasn’t it?_ Joey wasn’t even sure what to think. He’d honestly used the word “love” in his head to be synonymous with “hot sexy sex” so when he thought he might be in ‘love’ with the CEO, he thought he might be sexually attracted, and nothing more. The curiosity of kissing those lips, of discovering what lay underneath the leather pants that ever so carefully showed off a small but tight ass, oh lord.

This was nothing more than the morning-after glow, right? _Right?_ And it’s okay to have sexual feelings for someone you abhor. And it’s okay to want to keep kissing and sucking them and discovering their bodies in a slow and meaningful way. _Right?_

Joey gazed at the stern brunette who sat in front of him, not paying attention to class, and began to ponder his inner dialogue. So, maybe after all, it wasn’t just a sexual yearning built out of sexual frustration from all their fighting for the brunette, although he’d like to explore that more, but it was the feeling of warmth and comfort that had melted away the fear when they’d kissed. It was the way the brunette had held his hand and danced awkwardly with him. It was the way, at this moment, he couldn’t hate the CEO anymore, and wanted nothing more than to be resting his head on his shoulder.

 _At what moment, did you fall so deep?_ The blond mused, trying to shift his focus back to the class on hand but failing.

Kaiba, meanwhile, had been diligently following every word the teacher said, scribing in perfect kana, trying to keep his brain on his studies, and away from the sounds of the blond behind him idly clicking his pen. The sooner the day was over, the better – he was only in school during the final weeks because there were a lot of assignments to hand in, and tests to take before their finals. The eerie feeling of the blond’s eyes on the back of his head deterred him from wanting to come, because, well, _wanting to come_ was half the problem. Gulp.

 _Right, I’ll have to sort that little indiscretion out, and tell him it meant nothing._ Kaiba lightly loosened the tie he wore with his uniform that day. It was getting a little hot and stuffy in the classroom, wasn’t it?

-

Lunchtime brought great reprieve to Joey, whose priority was his stomach. Chowing down on an egg sandwich from his workplace in record time, and shoving a banana in after it to follow. The appetite of the slightly scrawny man could never quite be satiated with his lack of money, although picking up some more hours at work just after exams would be quite the treat.

He felt his phone vibrate, and he curiously pulled it out, wondering who the message might be.

As with Kaiba’s one-word messages, it just said “Rooftop.” Joey rolled his eyes, not sure if he was about to get a beating or a _beating_ but being prepared for either a little too eagerly.

“Hey, uh, I gotta go,” Joey mumbled.

“Off to play hookey?” Tristan grinned, knowing the blond had a less-than-perfect track record for coming to class in the afternoons.

“Nah, as much as I hate English, I need ta poop.” Joey poked his tongue out at Tristan, and Tristan flipped him the bird.

“It’s always toilet humour with you!” Tea exclaimed, making a disapproving face.

“Almost comforting to know some things will never change!” Yugi grinned, polishing off his fruit salad.

Joey eyed suspiciously behind him, making sure none of his friends were following him, as he snaked through the halls of Domino High, up to the rooftop. The rooftop was a nice place to be, but it was still only the first month of spring, so nobody really ate their lunches there until summer.

Joey tentatively opened the door to the roof, peering around, seeing nobody in sight except Kaiba, who, in his coated glory, looked almost a little bit _cool._ His tie was loose, and Joey could make out the incredible bone structure of the CEO’s neck.

“Don’t have all day.” The brunette growled lowly, as Joey shut the door softly.

“Why did ya want me to come here?”

Kaiba sauntered up to the blond, “you know why,” he murmured, and his eyes flashed the same shade of lust they had the night before. Despite talking himself into breaking their chase off during the morning classes, his mouth couldn’t say the words.

Joey hesitated for a second, “since when did you develop such an appetite?”

“Possibly the same time as you.”

Joey decided to be the one to take charge this time, eager to show Kaiba he wasn’t just there for _his_ pleasure, but his own too. Dragging him out of view from the door, just in case someone was to show, he pressed him up against the wall and devoured the lips that tasted like coffee, sucking and nibbling on them until they visibly started to swell from the attention. Kaiba let the boy take his turn, relieved to not be the only one tainted by lust.

Joey batted his eyes sexily as he grabbed Kaiba’s ass, massaging it through the school uniform, feeling Kaiba’s growing erection in the pants. He grinned slyly, knowing he was also getting horny, and Kaiba hastily rubbed the outside, causing the friction to drive Joey _wild._ Eliciting a throaty groan, Joey got to his knees, and unzipped Kaiba’s pants, letting the cock go free, encompassing it quickly in his mouth to keep it warm from the early spring breeze. Kaiba held one hand over his own mouth, trying to keep hush, becoming more turned on at the idea of somebody finding them in such a compromising position, and the other hand idly playing with Joey’s blond mane as he sucked with absolute urgency.

Kaiba came, quickly, forcefully, moans muffled by his hand as to not attract attention, and Joey’s cock throbbed with anticipation, knowing how extremely _hot_ this whole situation was. He swallowed for the second time in, hell, less than 24 hours.

As Kaiba reeled from the orgasm, he fixed himself up quickly, and unzipped Joey’s pants, taking the erection in his hands, stroking quickly and rough. One hand cupping the sac, rolling the testicles around in his hand, the other quickly picking up pace. Joey bit on his wrist as his moans became more frequent.

And then they heard the door. Both men froze, Joey’s cock aching from being so close to orgasm, and Joey quietly shoved it back into his pants, trying to think unsexy thoughts to tame the beast. Kaiba’s mind on keeping them both out of sight and completely silent.

“So, I told that bitch that if she didn’t stop texting him, I’d ruin her life!” A girl squealed in excitement as her friend told her a loud and annoying recollection.

“Who does she think she is!?” the other girl screeched, like nails down a chalkboard.

Kaiba and Joey met eyes, and sheer panic washed over them as they stayed deathly still, breathing to a minimum, while the girls engaged in their bullshit gossip. Kaiba moving slowly to check the time, realising it was only a minute until the bell would ring for the next period.

The longest minute of their lives. Joey’s ears rung with the thick beating of his heart from being so entangled in fear, and so close to climax it _hurt_.

The bell rang, and the girl huffed as they picked up their bags and headed back through the door. Kaiba waited for ten seconds more before the definitive click of the door shutting, before he poked his head out from around the corner to check if the coast was clear. _A blessing that they hadn’t decided to skip class._

Kaiba locked gaze with Joey, and then looked down where he’d been paying attention.

“No, well, _yes, God yes,_ but I need to get to class to hand in my assignment and I’m…”

“Afraid if you don’t leave now you never will?” The brunette finished his sentence, and Joey blushed, feeling a lump in his throat.

“Somethin’ like dat.” He blushed again, knowing it would only be a matter of time before he’d jump the brunette’s bones and do more than just an innocent blowjob on the school roof otherwise.

“Okay.” Kaiba straightened his uniform out quickly, before he took off down the flight of stairs first. God only knows what would happen if they were caught together.

Joey took a moment after Kaiba had dashed off, to focus his breathing, and calm his heartrate down, before he headed to class himself.

He quietly opened the door, only two minutes late, hoping the teacher wouldn’t barrel him for being late, however…

“Excuse me, Mr Wheeler, you’re late.”

“Yup,” the blond grinned, cheerfully. “I am, because lunch didn’t agree with my stomach! I wouldn’t go into the second-floor toilets for a while!”

“Just sit down, I won’t give you a detention in your last fortnight.” The staunch English teacher rolled his eyes and turned back to the board.

“You were pooping for like, twenty minutes!” Tristan called out so the class could hear.

“Yup!” Joey laughed. “It was a battle but I won the war!” The class erupted into fits of laughter over the immature humour.

Kaiba, in the same class, looked at the blond and face-palmed.

_Why was he attracted to this classless muppet?_

-

Joey had been the forward one this time, messaging Kaiba with a simple “where/when?” As much as Kaiba wanted to say “in your dreams, and probably never,” his fingers sent the message “mine, 8pm.”

Though the two hadn’t been in much contact, apart from a few fighting words at school (in which Joey pulled Kaiba aside, and agreed to keep up appearances by layering insults on each other as per usual, before Kaiba lent in for a hot, quick, tongue punctuated kiss, and a punch to the others’ face enough to leave Joey with a light bruise under his left eye – enough to make his friends stop doubting his mutual hate for the CEO was waning) for a week, and it was only two days until school was over, and they would sit their final exams and graduate.

Surprisingly, Kaiba was feeling a lot more upbeat about graduating than a few weeks ago, and a heck of a lot more productive at work too. Especially with the promise of a young blond gracing his presence all over the bedsheets. He’d even managed to close a lucrative deal, which brought him one step closer to the promise of a second KaibaLand. It’s almost like there was nothing the CEO couldn’t do this week.

Mokuba had also reaped the rewards of the older brothers’ good fortune, nothing a lot more pleasant home-time, and permission to stay up past his bedtime with no arguments over the weekends.

“Good news, Mokuba!” Seto announced, as he arrived home after work. The clock read 7pm, and Kaiba had just gotten off the phone to a resource consenter.

“Is the good news the reason for your mood this week?” Mokuba asked, as he paused the game he was in the middle of, half sunk into the cushions of the plush leather couch. He was more than thrilled to see Kaiba looking a lot less stressed out than the last few weeks.

“KaibaLand is officially go,” Seto plopped down by Mokuba, grabbing the second controller, challenging Mokuba to a race.

“Wow, that is fantastic! When can we start planning!?” Mokuba’s eyes were wide and excitable.

“You can come to the meetings next week while you’re on break. And I might even let you in on the design phase too, if you’re good.”

“What do you mean, if I’m good?” the raven-haired boy jabbed Seto in the ribs, knocking him off the course and overtaking in the game.

“You know, do your homework, go to bed at a reasonable time, behave.”

“Why do I get the feeling this is more than just KaibaLand?” Mokuba asked, as he came in first and cheered. “You’ve been ridiculously happy this week?”

Seto shrugged. “Always suspicious, aren’t you.” Seto grabbed the younger brother’s iced tea and drank the rest of it while Mokuba looked in horror.

“Ew, Seto. I know you’re my brother, but I don’t know who you’re kissing with that mouth...well, maybe I do!”

“Hah! Funny joke, Mokuba, you’ll see I’ll be thirty and still married to my job.”

“Only if they haven’t made gay marriage legal by then!”

Seto decked Mokuba with a pillow. “I have a heart of ice, and a personality of a soggy newspaper, so I’m told. Even if I _wanted_ to, I doubt I’d find anyone not wanting to date my wallet. They’ll probably have holograms realistic enough I won’t need to date.”

Kaiba got up out of the chair, aware of the time, and wondering how he was going to sneak Joey in without making his brother suspicious as he was in the shared living space. “Oh, Pizza will be here soon, I won’t be having any, but I know you have a soft spot for it, and I have some more business to take care of. I’ll cook for you tomorrow.” He’d sent Joey a LINE, telling him to watch out for the pizza delivery, and to tail in after him as to not create suspicion.

“Okay!” Mokuba cheered at the prospect of a pepperoni pizza with extra cheese. He was always made to eat healthy in the mansion, so days where Seto relaxed the rules and let him eat what he liked were more than welcomed.

Seto heard the doorbell ring, knowing he was expecting the pizza guy, with Joey right on his tail as to avoid suspicion from opening the door twice. Kaiba paid a generous tip (“Here’s $100. Keep the change.”) to the pizza delivery teenager, and as he was about to shut the door, the blond idiot quietly snuck in afterwards, following Kaiba’s cues. “Wait for me in my room,” Seto whispered, nudging the blond towards the stairwell, as he entered the living area to deliver the pizza to his famished younger brother.

‘ _What is this_ ,’ thought the brunette, as he sauntered up to his room. _‘Sneaking around like we’re hiding him from parents? Though the wrath of Mokuba is possibly scarier._ ’

“Hey…” Kaiba purred, as he slipped inside his bedroom, eyeing the blond, sprawled on his bed, with loose jeans and a tight shirt on, turning the lock behind him.

Joey looked up and caught eyes with the smokin’ hot CEO, as he leant back on the springy bed, come-hither eyes driving Kaiba wild with lust. “Hey.”

Without another word, Kaiba climbed on top of the blond, and engaged in the hottest kiss they’d had to date, grinding against each other, knowing they were so very ready for this meeting after a week of “fighting” where every touch was electric, and they’d had to spend each last drop of self-control not ripping clothes off each other at school, though they knew what happened last time. Clothes came off, kisses travelled down bodies, boys couldn’t control their moans, and hands grabbed places that would make a nun blush.

And it was incredible, when Kaiba began to give oral first, without needing to be prompted by more than the erection presented to him. He might otherwise be the most selfish, absorbed person in the world, but at least in the bedroom he was willing to let go of being number one _all the time._ Joey wondered for a moment if this would be a common occurrence, or if he might be an anomaly.

Joey’s eyes closed, riding the orgasm out, only making eye contact once the brunette had accepted his load. With the fiery blue eyes, Joey began to return the favour, when he heard a knock on the door.

“Hey, big bro, you free for a sec?” Mokuba called.

“Uh, I’ll be right there,” Kaiba replied throatily, and the two boys exchanged a look that initially read _for God’s sake_. Kaiba grabbed Joey’s clothes, chucking them at him, and signalling him to hide in the bathroom, while Kaiba grabbed his own clothes, stuffing them under the bed, and putting his plush dressing gown on trying to strategically hide the erection. He gave a quick glance around the room, nothing looked out of place, and unlocked the door to the grinning little brother.

“Hey, uh, sorry if this is bad timing!” Mokuba stuttered, noticing Kaiba’s lack of clothes. “I didn’t know you were headed to bed so early!”

“It’s fine,” Kaiba snapped a little quickly. “I was, just about to shower.”

Mokuba screwed up his face. “That explains why the room smells so funny.”

Kaiba’s eyes narrowed, noting to himself that the smell of sex _isn’t_ fictional, and he might want to hide that kind of stuff from now on. “What can I do for you?”

Mokuba pulled out his puppy-dog eyes. “Well, Taki in my class is having an end-of-term party on Friday, and I wanted to ask if I could go! Taki just messaged me, and would like a reply tomorrow so he could organise snacks! It’ll be from 4pm until 10pm if that’s okay?”

“That’s fine.”

“REALLY? You’re the best!” Mokuba launched himself at his big brother, and Kaiba wore a knee to his already tender balls as they weren’t packed away neatly in boxers.

“OW!” cried Kaiba, as he doubled over in pain.

“I am SO sorry!” Mokuba apologised profusely. “Do you need some ice? Some tea? Oh my gosh, I’m sorry!!!”

Kaiba winced. “Just, leave me be…” 

Mokuba backed away, running back to his room before his brother had a chance to react, whilst yelling “SORRY!” down the hall.

Kaiba shut the door again, quickly, and leaned against it while holding his crotch. Joey peeped out of the bathroom, looking forlorn at the brunette’s predicament.

“Save your insults,” Kaiba groaned.

“I wasn’t gonna…” the blond stopped himself. “Do you need anything?”

“I’m fine,” the CEO hissed, back to being in a bad mood.

“Should I…go?” Joey shuffled his feet, nervously. He’d gotten dressed in the time that Kaiba had been dealing to his aching balls, expecting to be kicked out.

“What do you think!” Kaiba snapped back, but realising the look of disappointment on Joey’s face, he added “we’ll resume another time.” The statement was so non-committal, but both knew it was true. If their touches were electric, and their kisses were kryptonite, neither boy was going anywhere.

Joey nodded, without another word, sneaking out of the house he’d snuck into, wondering when they were going to talk about it, but with Kaiba in such a bad mood now, it wasn’t the time, but he realised he craved something more.


	7. Chapter 7

Kaiba was feeling _extremely_ wound up.

Maybe it stemmed from Mokuba kneeing him in the nads, cutting his sexy time short. Maybe it stemmed from the terrible phone call with an obnoxious businessman first thing in the morning. Maybe it stemmed from the final exams looming at the end of the week.

Either way, it was somehow Joey’s fault, and the idiot would pay. So as luck would have it, while Kaiba was filled to the brim with rage, Joey was early to school, and eager to get in his face.

“Morning, Princess,” Joey chirped, trying to get a rise. Well, shit, it worked, and Joey saw Kaiba snap, eyes dilating and brows furrowing.

“Go fuck yourself, mutt.”

“Back to the dog insults again, I see ya feeling peachy,” Joey pressed.

“I have a million better things to do than talk to you, so leave me alone.”

“Just when I thought you were changing for the better, you show me you’re still heartless.”

“You don’t know anything about me. Just leave me the fuck alone.” Kaiba shoved Joey out of the way, storming out of the classroom.

“What the FUCK is up his ass today?!” Joey brushed himself off, a feeling of sadness was quickly masked by fury for being humiliated. Even though Joey pushed his buttons on purpose, this was a much colder response from the playfighting they’d gotten used to over the last fortnight. Joey involuntarily clenched his fist, not knowing how to process the emotions all at once.

“Bro, you only have two days left dealing with that idiot,” Tristan said, slinging his arm around Joey, pulling him towards his desk. “I don’t know why you antagonise the rich prick when it always ends the same!”

“Yeah,” Joey agreed, although his heart wasn’t in the conversation. How was it, he could be being sucked off one moment, and then twelve hours later, they would be back to such heated arguments?

“Morning, guys!” Yugi called out, strutting into school. “How are we all?”

“Great!” Tristan replied. “Only two days left in this hellhole, and we’re FREE!”

“It can’t come quick enough!” Joey added, exasperated, as they settled into homeroom, for the second to last time, ever. Kaiba wasn’t there, and Joey wondered briefly where Mr Tall, Dark, and Moody had gone, before remembering this morning had proven once again that he was a tosser wrapped in his own ego and hatred, and Joey couldn’t care less after he threw his toys out of the cot.

Kaiba had since headed to the roof, intent on skipping out on first lecture, and the eyes of the idiot blond drilling into the back of his head. There was no way he was going to be able to concentrate, considering just how angry he was. He sat down with his laptop, opened emails, and furiously typed away.

But the thought of the word ‘ _heartless’_ stung him, just a little. Heartless was something he’d been called many times before. By employees, by business partners, by girls who wantonly threw themselves at him who got rejected. For no explainable reason, the word ‘heartless’ stung when that blond idiot said it.

Which made him angrier. He’s been called worse before, by people much more prestigious so why was he acting like a scorn lover?

He’ll show him ‘heartless.’

-

“Care to tell me what the fuck was up with you earlier?”

“You’re an idiot, that’s what’s ‘up’.” Kaiba waved Joey away in the same manner he did with all the annoying fangirls that would gather around him. Indifference is said to be worse than hate.

“What the fuck man? Did I do something wrong last night?” As much as Joey had spent all day pretending not to care about the CEO, in moments like these, where it was just the two of them, something prevented him from being as cold.

“No.” The answer was abrupt, but not coated in the usual sarcasm.

“I’m worth more than a one-word answer!” Joey began to rack up the courage to broach the subject when Kaiba cut him off.

“I’ll call if I want you.”

“But…” The word ‘if’ was so, ruthless.

“No ‘buts.’ We play by my rules, my schedule, or we don’t play at all.”

“That’s a bit fuckin’ unfair.”

“Life’s unfair, moron.”

“No shit, ya rich and I’m poor, and ya have the personality of a trashbag. Life _is_ unfair. But I’m confused about us.”

“Us? There is no ‘us.’” Kaiba rolled his eyes. “Don’t get attached, idiot. I haven’t even insinuated that I want anything more to do with you.”

“Then what does dis mean to ya?”

“Pleasure.”

“You’re tell me you don’t feel anythin’.”

Kaiba shrugged. “Not like that. I don’t have a heart, _remember_?” For a moment, Joey swore he could see vulnerability flash through his eyes, but Kaiba blinked and returned to his cold, hard stare, waiting for the blond to retort, but he didn’t.

 _Struck a nerve, did we?_ Kaiba flicked his coat in his over-dramatic fashion and strode away. _Good._

_-_

“I can’t believe we’re done!” Tea celebrated, as the group walked out of the graduation ceremony, certificates in hand.  “It feels surreal!”

“FREEDOM!” Joey exclaimed, jumping into the air throwing his fist up, glad to be done with wearing that stupid uniform for the rest of his life. He couldn’t believe he’d graduated high school. Everyone had expected him to drop out at fourteen and end up in juvie after his run-ins with gangs. It was his friendship with Yugi that had kept him relatively on the straight and narrow over the last few years. Plus, if you’re in jail, you can’t play Duel Monsters. That’s important too.

“No more pencils, no more books! No more teachers’ dirty looks!” Tristan high-fived Joey, almost as surprised that he’d stuck through to the end as well.

“No more detentions!” Joey grinned like an idiot. His detention record was impressive, he’d go down in infamy for having the most detentions in school history. Not a bad legacy to leave, I guess?

“Congratulations!” Mokuba called out to the group, who were on their way to Burger World to celebrate.

“Thanks, Mokuba!” Yugi grinned. “Care to join?”

Mokuba looked at Seto, who rolled his eyes, but motioned for the teen to join the group nevertheless. “Yeah! That would be great!”

“I’ll see you tonight,” Kaiba said to his younger bro.

“You can join us too, Kaiba!” Yugi chirped. “The more the merrier!”

“I’d rather _not_.”

“Aw, big bro, do you mind if they come over afterwards to play some games?”

“Even if I say no, they’ll end up in my house,” Kaiba rolled his eyes. “They’re allowed in if they’re toilet trained. Don’t forget to pick up a litter box for the mutt.”

Joey narrowed his eyes. “I’ll piss on everything you own with that attitude.”

“You guys are _gross_!” Tea exclaimed. “Let’s go get those burgers!”

-

 _This was meant to be a good day._ Kaiba decided to shut himself in his office while the loser brigade invaded his downstairs living area, pouring himself a whisky. Not a habitual drinker, the second time in a fortnight was more frequent than usual, but he swore to not make it a habit. Ah, fuck it. Something to celebrate. Never having to set foot in that disgusting public school ever again. The drink went down easy, and he topped up his glass. Nothing like _just one more._

The group had returned from their burger trip, and after a quick go at the arcade, Mokuba had suggested they head back for a night of games and good food. Lasagne on the menu? Yes please! He’d even rung the chef ahead of time to ask him to cook enough to feed the crowd. Joey had, obviously, been apprehensive to even turn up at the Kaiba mansion after the blowout on Thursday, (‘ _I’ll shank the bastard!’_ Joey thought) although how could he say no to free food!?

Giggling around the table, everyone told stories to Mokuba of their high school days (“Hey, remember that time we stuck the post-it note to the teachers’ back that said ‘kick me!’) whilst eating copious amounts. Dinner wasn’t just lasagne, it turns out they’d cooked a whole banquet. Including desserts. It was almost enough to make Joey forget about Snow White upstairs.

The group had migrated to the lounge, chatting idly about their memories together, whilst playing board games. Mokuba’s favourite past time was board games, he liked that they were much more interpersonal than playing in front of a TV, and that conversations flowed better. Connect 4, Guess Who, and Uno scattered around the table.

“Does your person have brown hair?” Joey idly asked Yugi, flipping down the characters that didn’t match Yugi’s answer.

Kaiba had made his way down to the kitchen to graze on the leftover food. Bottle of whisky almost finished in one hand, he minced into the living area, where the nerds were having a good time, with a banana in the other hand.

Kaiba had plopped himself in the chair, wantonly, legs slung over the side, drinking straight from a bottle of whisky. _Straight from the bottle._ “Sup, losers,” he greeted, with a cheeky grin, while beginning to do _unmentionable_ things to the banana he’d acquired.

Joey just shook his head at the wrecked state of Kaiba, although the banana act was a little bit too much for him to handle without a slight blush. Never in a million years did he expect to see _this_ Kaiba. In front of other people, and especially doing the movements he knew a little too well. Bless their hearts if they knew that Kaiba’s mouth was good at more than just talking shit.

Mokuba facepalmed, making a mental note to leave his brother well alone tomorrow, Yugi asked if Kaiba was okay.

“Never better…” Kaiba scanned the room, finally making eye contact with Joey, smirked, and downed the rest of the bottle without another word.

“Was that bottle…full?” Mokuba side-eyed his brother.

“It might hav’ been.”

“Enjoy the hangover, you weirdo,” Tristan grinned, glad to have finally seen Kaiba as something other than a sociopathic asshat.

“Enjoy being a silly person, you silly person,” Kaiba retorted, letting out a laugh at how ridiculous of an insult he’d just made. It was s _uch a zinger._ Somebody get the Aloe for that burn!

“Wow, my feelings are s _o_ hurt,” Tristan laughed. Joey lost his shit, laughing so hard he began to cry. What alternate universe had he stumbled upon? He could live in this one, if this is how Kaiba acted more often!

“Do you want to join in on a game of Guess Who?”

“Sure.” Kaiba slumped to the floor, and Yugi handed him his board, grabbing a card out of the pile.

Joey flipped his board back up. “Okay, I’ll start. Does your person have brown hair?”

“No,” Kaiba said, as Joey flicked down the people with brown hair. “Does your person have _boobs_?” He grinned, childishly.

“I…hope not!” Joey exclaimed, beginning to realise how this game was going to play out. Kaiba flipped all the women on the board down. “Does your person have green eyes?”

“Yes!” Kaiba exclaimed, a little too eager, and Joey flipped down half his board. “Does your person look like an idiot?”

Joey looked quizzically at the card. “What constitutes as ‘looking like an idiot?’”

“Blond hair and brown eyes!” Kaiba howled.

“Get out!” Joey exclaimed, shoving Kaiba just gently enough to topple him out of his questionable balance. Tristan snickered as he’d videoed the whole exchange. Perfect blackmail material.

“Take me to my room,” Kaiba whispered, which piqued Joey’s attention. “I wanna lay down.” His head beginning to spin a little too fast.

“Sure, you need a _carry_?” Joey grinned as he stood up, grabbing the brunette’s hand to steady him. Kaiba wrapped his fingers through Joey’s, and stumbled upwards, where Joey put his hand on the opposite shoulder, and directed him towards the door, giving him a supporting weight.

“Do you need a hand?” Mokuba asked.

“Nah, I got dis. I’m super used t’ dealing with drunks.” Joey flashed the younger brother a smile.

In any other scene, this might be romantic, and Joey blushed just a little, getting to feel the soft hands wrapped through his, but while dealing with a drunk Kaiba was hilarious, his natural caring instinct kicked all those other thoughts out of his brain for the time being, and focused on getting him back to his room, which was a struggle considering Kaiba was taller than him and not helping by dragging his feet along the carpet. Joey pried open the door of the Master Bedroom, which he was a little too familiar with now.

“I need to pee,” grumbled the brunette.

Joey rolled his eyes. “Of course ya do. Ya bathroom is there. Can ya manage?”

Kaiba tried to steady himself but began to topple. Jeez, this wasn’t going to be easy for either of them.

Joey sighed, and dragged the man into his bathroom, where, with no modesty, began to unzip his pants. “Don’t look you weirdo…” Kaiba trailed off, not really caring either way, not like it wasn’t something the blond hadn’t already seen.

“I’m not!” Joey growled, as he closed his eyes with both hands supporting the shoulders of the unsteady brunette. “I could just leave you here to fend for yourself though, ya asshole.”

Kaiba chuckled manically for a moment, doing as he needed, and the blond recounted all the ways he must have sinned to end up as Kaiba’s babysitter.

With a toilet flush, Joey opened his eyes, and saw the brunette wryly grinning to himself in the mirror. He discarded his pants to the ground, leaving just his boxers and button down shirt half undone, and directed Joey back towards the bedroom.

Joey took a quick look down in surprise, and then straight back up with a crimson streak dawning over his cheeks. Kaiba had nice legs. _Incredibly_ nice legs, probably from all of that ‘running away from your emotional problems’ bullshit he tends to do. Kaiba also had a nice butt, but Joey already knew that since the CEO liked to wear pants way too tight sometimes. But without any pants, that was a _niiiiice ass._ With the passion between the two being quick and fleeting, Joey hadn’t really taken the time to _appreciate_ the gift he’d been given of being able to see the man naked, more than once.

It was almost enough to undo all the fighting from the other day at school.

“Kaiba do you want some pyjamas or something?” Joey said trying to maintain eye contact as he dragged that stupid drunk ass back into the room and pushed him on the bed. Kaiba sprawled out on his side, showing the perfect curves of _that niiiiice ass._

“I sleep naked,” Kaiba winked as he took off the rest of his shirt, and swiftly removed his boxers without inhibition.

“Jeez, Kaiba, ya exhibitionist. Do ya need me to tuck ya in?”

Kaiba grinned, “do you wanna join me?”

“Want to, yes. Should I? No. Ask me when ya sober.” Joey went to the bathroom, and filled up a glass of water, placing it on the bedside table beside the incapacitated drunk, leaving some Ibuprofen beside the cup. “Drink this in the morning.”

“Thanks, you can be okay sometimes.” Kaiba replied, smiling as he drifted off to dreamland.

Joey sighed, ‘ _just okay is better than nothing’_ as he headed back down the stairs, he _couldn’t_ _wait_ to explain that to his friends.

“Where did _that_ side of you come from, you weirdo?” Tristan jabbed him in the ribs. “Rich boy got you goin’ soft?”

Joey hit him with a couch cushion. “Naw, he’s an idiot. He’s gonna have a hell of a hangover in the mornin’. Sweet revenge.” He grinned.

“You got to see the inside of his room, how was it?” Tristan teased. “Does he sleep with Blue Eyes plushies and gold bars under his pillow?”

“Something like that!” Painting a mental image like nothing he’d ever thought before. “His sheets are literally dollar bills stitched together.” The pair cracked up at the mere thought, not putting it past the brunette’s ego.

“I’ve…never seen big bro like that…” Mokuba thought aloud, a mixture of concern and relief.

“Aw, it’s probably healthy for him to blow off some steam!” Yugi comforted. “You’ll be there one day too. Just be glad it’s around us.”

Mokuba smiled. “He won’t admit it, but we’re both super lucky to have you guys around. It’s a shame this is probably the last time we’ll all be in the same room for a long time.”

“Don’t sweat it, Mokuba, we’ll all be in Domino again! I’m sure your brother will put on an elaborate Duel Monsters championship to mask the fact that he wants to challenge Yugi to another duel!” Joey ruffled Mokuba’s hair, and Mokuba swatted his hand away. “Maybe I’ll finally beat him too!”

“I guess you’re right!” Mokuba’s face lit up. “I can’t wait to give him hell in the morning though!” Mokuba’s gaze fixated on Joey. “At least you’ll still be here.”

Joey smiled. “Yeah, we can catch up when I’m not working. I’ll be up for a rematch at the arcade any day!”

“Talking about that, our beta tester positions begin in about a fortnight. I’ll have to tell Seto to send you the paperwork!”

“Did he…agree to it?”

“Nope!” The youngest teen grinned. “But I also have a say in this company, and who better to test Duel Monsters related tech than somebody with your background! Plus, it’d be nice to have a friendly face around! Obviously, Yugi, you’d be offered a position too if you were sticking around!”

Yugi smiled at Joey. “I guess things have a way of working out. I know you were worried about what to do post school. This is a nice way to fill your time in while you figure it out.”

“Y…yeah!” Joey smiled.

_Shit, I was hoping he’d forgotten about that._

_Now I have no way to get away from Mr Moneybags and his mood swings._

Mokuba turned his attention back to the board games, clearing the Connect 4 rack. “Let’s have another round!”

Turns out Mokuba’s unbeatable at Connect 4. _How fitting._


	8. Chapter 8

Kaiba woke up to a headache that knocked aggressively. Jesus, how much did he have to drink last night?

A whole bottle, and not a _small_ bottle. A litre of top-shelf gifted to him by a business associate, who overlooked his age and just shrugged as he’d handed over the bottle. “Another two years on the shelf won’t hurt it if you’re playing by the rules. But if not…”

It started off relatively tame, just a few spirit glasses, filled with the amber liquid as he sifted through paperwork on his desk, cursing the drafting team for making inexcusable mistakes.

On the fourth glass, the amber liquid reminded him of the wide eyes of the stupid blond, and he drank it to get rid of it, while cursing his very existence.

And then he joined the idiots’ downstairs and made a bit of an ass of himself.

Oh well?

He groaned, rolling over to look at the time, regrettably only 7am, yet the sun shone through the gap in the curtains that weren’t meticulously pulled closed. He didn’t remember that. He just remembered being dragged upstairs in a humiliating state and being put to bed.

He noticed the glass and pills sitting on the bedside table and took a moment to realise that Joey had left those there, and they probably weren’t poisonous. He made enough of an effort to reach over, leaning on his arm, take the pills and water, and lie back down, closing his eyes again, hoping to once again succumb to sleep for a few more minutes before facing the day.

Kaiba’s inner voice babbled away behind his closed eyes drowning out his thumping heartbeat in his temples.

_He’s not so bad. You know that. He didn’t even remotely make fun of you, try to take advantage of you. You wanted to sleep with him last night. Do you remember his reaction? The way his eyes crinkled as he smiled at you and told you to come back and proposition him sober._

Shut the fuck up.

Kaiba realised the dialogue wasn’t going away, and stumbled out of bed, towards the bathroom. Footing not quite stable yet, he struggled for a moment, making sure to grab furniture and doorframes as he needed.

_Maybe a shower will make me feel better._

He turned the taps on tepid, and waited for the hot water to kick in before entering, standing blankly under the stream of water. It took him a hungover minute to realise he should probably do that thing where he puts soap on his body and tries to get clean. But finding the motivation for small movements was harder than it seemed when his motor skills were still a little bit tipsy.

A five-minute shower turned into twenty minutes of spacing out, not being able to take his mind off the idiot. He’d so stupidly thought that, with school being over, he’d be able to forget about whatever-they-had without looking back with any more than nostalgia but with Mokuba inviting him into their house despite his reservations, he realised it wasn’t going to be as simple as one, two, gone. Which posed a myriad of complicated questions.

Kaiba finished his shower, drying himself off and finding some clothes to slip into, running a comb quickly through his hair, glasses on, and stumbled downstairs to a bright-eyed Mokuba sitting at the table, eating cereal.

“Oh, I wasn’t expecting to see you until midday,” Mokuba grinned, wondering how much Seto had remembered. Kaiba looked worse for wear, with bags under his eyes, and hair imperfect. Kaiba must be having a terrible day to be having a bad _hair_ day.

“Alcohol tricks your brain into thinking it’s slept for longer than it has,” Seto said, though his voice was barely above a whisper due to his pounding headache. He popped some toast in the toaster, and began to brew a strong, black coffee, no sugar.

“Caffeine makes headaches worse.”

Kaiba shot Mokuba a death glare, and Mokuba quickly dropped the subject. Kaiba’s true love was caffeine, especially with the frequency Kaiba worked late due to time zone differences and business partners in America, or confidential workloads that he wasn’t comfortable delegating. Kaiba grabbed the newspaper in front of him and began to idly skim through it, only picking out an article to read about economics.

"When you’re feeling better, I’d like to talk to you about work stuff. I’ll be in my room doing my homework so I can get it out of the way.”

“I’m fine, fire away.” Seto rested his forehead in his hand, feeling slight relief from the pressure, taking a sip from the steaming mug.

“So, you know how we’ve got the testing beginning soon for the new tech?”

“Mmmm…” Kaiba looked at the newspaper, without looking up.

“Well…I told Joey about it and said we were looking for testers, and that he’d be great to have on the team.”

Kaiba spat out his drink. “ _Excuse_ _me_? Why would I hire that idiot?” Jeez, he hadn’t been prepared in his hangover state to approach _this_ conversation. Forget the coffee, maybe he needed another drink.

“Don’t get salty, Seto. There’s nobody better than him, other than you and Yugi, to test the new tech, especially due to the intricacies of Duel Monsters. It will be beneficial. He works at a convenience store, I know he’s looking for better work. I think for an opportunity like this, he would really shine through. Look, I know you have final say, but I’d like you to consider my proposal and my reasoning. You can talk to him about the contract type, pay, whatever conditions you need to make to make this worth it for you.” Mokuba paused, waiting for Seto to process the request before adding softly “you know he’s loyal, and that’s something we have a tough time finding.”

Kaiba sighed, and stared at his newspaper for a moment. “Hm...”

“I mean, there’s nothing more loyal, than treating someone who you fight with consistently the way he did last night. He carried your inebriated ass to your room.”

“He left me painkillers and water, too,” Kaiba admitted aloud, to the younger brother, who smirked. “Fine. You win. Again.” How was the teenager so manipulative in so few words?

“That was easier than I thought.”

Kaiba peered up from the newspaper and tipped his glasses down to look Mokuba in the eyes. “No, I just think you’re right, squirt. I can’t say much for his work ethic, as I’ve seen quite the opposite at school, but I’ll check his reference from his job, and if his attendance has been good, I’ll take him on.”

Mokuba smiled. “Thanks, Seto. I know he’ll appreciate it.”

-

It had taken Kaiba’s headache a while to subside. And then slightly longer to recall which Convenience Store Joey had worked at, remembering their fatal run-in at one just on the outskirts of the CBD. Since Mokuba had insisted that he hire him, and that he’d ask more questions if he vehemently resisted, he dialled the number and demanded to speak to whoever was in charge. The shift manager was surprised but had nothing but glowing reports about Joey covering shifts, always being on time, and being a general ray of sunshine within the team and a favourite with customers.

“Well, Mokuba, his reference from work came up satisfactory.”

“Yeah?” Mokuba was sprawled out at the kitchen table, doing some English, basking in the midday sun.

“I’d never thought I’d see the day the mutt left me impressed. If he’s serious about wanting the job, I’ll talk to him tomorrow, and we can talk details, I guess. I can make time at the end of the day, say, 6pm? You can call him later and tell him.”

“Wait, _how_ did you know where he works?” Mokuba quizzed, grin on his face.

“Well, _one of us_ is addicted to Melon Bread. And it just so happened I stumbled upon the same convenience store one night.”

Mokuba’s eyes lit up. “Of course, I’ll give him a buzz in a minute.”

Joey’s phone lit up, with the name of the younger Kaiba brother. Pausing for a moment, he answered it.

“Yo, Mokuba, howzit?”

“Hey Joey!” the voice chirped. “How are you today?”

“I’m good, how’re you?”

“Good thank you, listen, I know it’s the weekend, but I wanted to have a chat about the job I mentioned.”

“Uhh, yeah! I mean, dat would be cool.”

“So, I had a chat to Seto, he seems okay with the idea.”

“Oh, this early? I’m surprised he could get outta bed!”

“Yeah, he’s a little rough around the edges. Thanks for helping him last night. I’m sorry.”

Joey laughed as he pulled his work uniform on and ran a comb through his messy hair. “Nah, it’s okay. I deal with drunks more often that I’d like’ta admit.”

Mokuba smiled at the response, knowing Joey really did have a heart of gold underneath that faux gangsta façade. “Well, would you be able to meet at 6pm tomorrow? He’s agreed to meet you at the end of his day.”

“Yeah, rad. Cheers, Mokuba!”

“No worries, Joey. I hope it all works out. I would recommend dressing nice, treating it like a job interview, and obviously showing Seto a little respect.”

“Of course, I’ll be nice to my worst enemy if it pays the bills!” Joey replied.

“Good thing he’s not your worst enemy.”

“Yeah, I guess he’s not _that_ bad.”

“Okay, well, I’ll pick you up at 5:30pm, and I’ll take you to his office myself. Give you a little background information first so you know what you’re getting into.”

“Are you sure?” Joey questioned, feeling it was a little too much for Mokuba to be accommodating him so aggressively.

“Yeah, it’s all good, I’d like to give you the best chance possible.”

“Thanks, Mokuba, you’re da best!”

“No worries, take care, I’ll catch you tomorrow.”

Mokuba hung the phone up. “That’s a yes, Seto. He’s interested. _Probably_ as interested as you are.”

“What do you mean by that,” Seto hissed.

“Oh, you know, if you hated his guts you wouldn’t even be entertaining the idea.” Mokuba grinned, knowing that Seto wouldn’t bite.

“Business is business,” Seto stated, like it didn’t matter.

 _“Sure.”_ Mokuba winked. “Do you want me to write his details in your diary so you don’t forget?”

“I have…” Kaiba stopped himself from admitting that he already had his LINE contact, so he just shrugged. “Sure. Whatever.”

Mokuba headed up to Kaiba’s office, which was adorned with a huge oak desk, finding the leather appointment book in the top drawer, as usual.

He lifted the book out, flipping to the next day, pencilling Joey’s name in neat kana with his cell phone number. He was tempted to draw a heart but knowing Seto probably wasn’t the only person to see it, he knew he’d probably be grounded. As he went to put the book away, he noticed the tell-tale glossy corner of photo sticking out from under some paperwork.

Not usually one to snoop, Mokuba’s teenage interest took the better of him, and he carefully grabbed the photo out, wondering why Seto might leave a single photo in his office.

Mokuba took pause, looking at the photo of the group from ball night, still in perfect condition. For a moment, he wondered how Seto acquired it in the first place despite not being in the photo at all.

 _But I know why he kept it,_ the teenager grinned, feeling the time ticking down until he won his bet.

-                                                                                                                     

Mokuba picked Joey up, punctually at 5:30pm from his apartment, Joey hesitantly jumped in the back of the limo, feeling super uncomfortable with fancy Limo Rides, especially around this area of town, which was a bit rough around the edges to say the least. The car smelled like upholstery cleaner and the back windows were tinted. In between him and Mokuba was a pop out arm rest that hid a small fridge. Mokuba offered Joey a cold bottle of water and he accepted.

“Hey Joey, you look nice,” Mokuba said, noticing that Joey had taken the advice to dress a little nicer than usual. Clean, black jeans, and a plain tee with an unbuttoned blazer that Mokuba recognised after staring at it from the corner of his eye. It wasn’t overly formal, but it was tidy and even Kaiba couldn’t be too critical, despite being colder than the freezer aisle at the supermarket.

“Thanks, Mokuba! Thanks for everythin’!” Joey felt nervous beyond explanation, but deeply flattered that Mokuba was putting him in a position where he might be able to pay the bills at his apartment, and even get ahead on rent payments for a wee while.

On the car ride, the duo chatted about the job description, which devolved into conversation about their favourite things – video games! Mokuba showed off some scans of some new artwork for a favourite gaming franchise that made Joey lose his mind. He was really interviewing at _KaibaCorp_.

Mokuba brought Joey up to the 26th floor of the city-centre tower, the top floor was the King of Egos’ office. A gorgeous panoramic view of Domino city, with the evening lights beginning to flicker, was breath-taking. He left the two lovebirds to it, taking his departure, telling Joey he’d be on the 7th floor in the cafeteria if he was needed, grinning to himself on the ride back down the elevator. _Going as planned._

The office was wide and bright from the ceiling-high windows, with trim painted in a light grey. There was a drafting desk in one corner, where paper was strewn and pencils were sitting along the right side. On the other side was a white door. One leather red couch was facing the window with a coffee table. In the middle of the room was the huge mahogany desk, and Kaiba typing away on his laptop in a grand office chair, paperwork that looked like planograms for store displays with notes jotted along the margins.

“Good evening, Wheeler,” Kaiba mused, not looking up from his computer until he’d done typing. “I’m surprised you managed to come on time.”

Joey clenched his fist a little, before relaxing. “Hey, Kaiba. Never thought I’d be willingly in this building!”

“Neither did I, but, here we are. So, Mokuba talked to you about the job?”

“Well, yeah, a bit. Said you needed some beta testers for now. He said you do the official hirin’ and stuff after he does d’ screening.”

“I do.” Kaiba mused, before giving Joey a contract, neatly written up and printed, with his legal name, and sticky notes along the side to mark where to sign.

“Don’tcha, like, need ta’ interview me? Talk ‘bout the position?”

“No.” Kaiba said. “I already know what I need to know about you. Obviously, feel free to read through this, the summary is that you’ll be signing both a standard employment contract; and a confidentiality agreement, which includes a media clause, and telling sensitive information to anybody outside of the people specified at any given time. The pay will be $18 an hour, for now, including benefits. Benefits include health insurance, gym membership, clothing allowance, and lunch.”

Joeys’ jaw nearly hit the floor.

“Assuming you accept this offer, you will start next week, in a full-time role. The trial will last one week, and then if I deem you satisfactory, in both attendance and work ethic, then we will continue employment. If you continue to deliver during the testing phase of our current project, I will make room for you within the company. But you have to prove yourself.”

_‘No wonder everybody wants to work at KaibaCorp! Not only am I on less than ten an hour at the convenience store, they couldn’t possibly include such ridiculous benefits.’_

“If you could have this contract back to my secretary tomorrow, then we can sort you with your work wardrobe this week, so you’ll be ready to go. If you have questions about any of the fine print, you know where to find me, or Mokuba can give you the details of our HR team.”

“Like, are you sure?”

Kaiba’s eyes narrowed. “Am _I_ sure? Are _you_ sure you want to work for me?”

Joey shrugged. “I don’t mind that it’s you I’m working for.”

“Then what’s the issue?”

“I was just making sure there wasn’t one. So, uh, thanks.” Joey grabbed his contract, gave it a quick read, not noting anything particularly out of place, and signed it on the spot.

Kaiba raised one eyebrow at the bold move.

“Look, you might be a jerk, Kaiba, but I doubt you’re going to do anything that horrible to me. People seem to like working here. I need money. Simple.”

“Fine.” Kaiba began to type furiously at his computer. “I’ll order your uniform for you. What sizes do you wear?”

“Um…”

“Do you like it tight, or loose,” Kaiba hissed, and Joey wasn’t sure if the sentence was dripping in innuendo on purpose or whether he just had a dirty mind because he was staring across the desk at his rival-cum-boss.

Joey blushed. “Uh, a little looser?”

Kaiba mused, looking at the man for a second, and then rose out of his seat. “I have spare uniforms in here somewhere. Let me get them, and you can try them on?” He opened a cupboard to the side, which he had repurposed into a wardrobe. Hanging neatly ironed, he pulled out a pair of dress pants, and a shirt. “These are smalls, I’m sure they’ll fit, but it’ll give me an idea what you need.”

“Do you want me to… try them on in here?”

Kaiba rolled his eyes. “Well, _idiot_ , I’ve seen you naked, but if you’re feeling modest, there is a bathroom in there.” He motioned to his left.

Joey blushed, and mumbled something inaudible under his breath, taking his pants off without complaining further. He slid into the tight, black pants, although not nearly as tight as Kaiba’s usual leather ensemble. The business pants fit, snug enough not to need a belt. Joey felt the gaze of the brunette musing. “Uh. Maybe I’ll go for the bigger size.”

“Yes, maybe that’s for the best. We don’t need everybody getting distracted, do we…?” Kaiba said aloud on accident, and blushed when he realised it wasn’t just a thought. Those pants looked, phenomenal, clinging to the buttocks of the tall blond. Kaiba felt a little bit of a stir in the pit of his stomach, wondering if this was turning into ‘fucking in an office’ foreplay.

“And the shirt…” Kaiba rasped, and Joey knew exactly what was going on in his mind.

“Oh, yeah, the shirt,” Joey murmured, taking his shirt off, just a little bit slower than necessary, driving Kaiba further into the lust, his eyes unintentionally hungry. He ran his fingers up his abs as he pulled at the hem of his shirt and stretched his arms up as he pulled it over his body. He slipped his arms through, and began buttoning up the shirt, which pulled a little too tight over his wide upper body. Joey caught gaze with Kaiba, and knowing exactly where this was going, began to stare back with lust in his eyes, and a small smirk forming on his lips.

 _I need to kiss that smirk away._ Kaiba noticed Joey’s growing erection in the pants, taking it as welcome permission to continue where they’d left off last time before they’d gotten interrupted.

“You look…good,” Kaiba murmured, as he stood in front of Joey, hands adjusting the way the shirt sat on his shoulders. “You suit business wear. I never would have guessed.”

“Do you have a suit fetish, Kaiba?” Kaiba could feel Joey’s breath tickling his lips, hypersensitive to each movement the blond was making as he closed the gap.

“Maybe.” With that, lips met again, clothes began coming undone, Seto grabbed his laptop off his otherwise clear desk, and placed it on the chair, and Joey pushed the CEO onto the desk and nipped and sucked his tongue. Kaiba noted, unlike his usual taste of fruit with the undertone of smoke, Joey tasted like coffee.

“Kaiba, I uh, _oh_ ,” he ran out of breath as Kaiba nipped at his neck. “But your brother is waiting for me,” he spat out, between heavy breaths, although he wished it wasn’t true.

“He can wait, I can’t,” Kaiba murmured, as he attacked the business pants.

“Kaiba, please,” Joey broke away. “I _want_ this, but I don’t want to get caught again by him. Imagin’ what he’d say!”

“Fine.” Seto pushed him off, sulking, taking a moment to readjust his clothing, doing his buttons back up. “Be here at 11am on Monday. Please see Ms. Mizuki at the front reception, to collect your Uniform and I’ll handle the rest. She’ll issue your clearance card.”

“Okay. Um. Thanks again.” Joey quickly changed back into his own clothes, and smiled a little, through the self-depreciating thoughts in his mind. “Um, you know, we can… talk about this?”

“What’s to talk about.” Seto was back to his Frosty attitude after being left so hot and bothered. “When you come to work, you treat me with respect, you refer to me as Kaiba-Sama, just like everybody else, and we won’t find ourselves in such a predicament again. End of conversation.” Kaiba went back to his seat, putting his laptop back on his desk.

“By the way, this doesn’t make us _friends_.”

“I know.” Although Joey’s voice faltered a little, wishing they could have continued. “I’m sorry.” Joey bowed, uncomfortably, and without another word, got in the elevator.

Kaiba frowned to himself, ridiculously wound up, being left in such a vulnerable state. It felt like betrayal of the worst kind. Now he had a fuckin’ tent in his pants, and he both wanted to smack the idiot blond, and lean him over the desk and take him. Good thing he had a bathroom attached to his office and a way to lock his doors from the inside.

And, maybe there was a _little_ bit of guilt, for the tone of Joey’s voice as he’d left.

_This needs to stop happening._


	9. Chapter 9

Joey turned up to work, ten minutes early for the 11am start Monday, as they’d agreed, heart beating fast, as he entered through the doors, wondering if he was making the right decision. Although, it’s not like he’d had much of a say in the matter, and finding work so quickly was a blessing, really. Plus, free lunch! Okay, that makes even Seto mood-swing Kaiba worth it!

He approached the lovely receptionist sitting by the entrance, with a bashful smile. “Good morning, Ms. Mizuki,” he said, reading her name badge, with an abnormally formal, volume-appropriate tone.

“Oh, good morning, you must be Mr. Wheeler,” she greeted warmly. “I have your key card here.”

“Please call me Joey! The last name thing is a lil’ too formal for me!” He scratched the back of his head and smiled bashfully.

“Oh, okay, Mr. Joey! That’s an awfully nice accent you have,” she smiled, and Joey’s nerves calmed down. “I have your Uniform here. Since you’re working a full-time schedule, you will be getting three uniform sets.”

“But I’m probably only here for a lil’ while, so why so many uniforms?”

Mizuki grinned. “Between you and me, I’ve never seen Mr. Kaiba hire somebody so fast, let alone _personally_ enter your employment into the system. I have a feeling you’ll be sticking around.”

Joey blushed, although not for the reasons Ms. Mizuki would ever know.

“Alright. There’s a changing area to the right of the elevator, and you’ll be working on the 25th floor. Mr. Kaiba himself will be there waiting, I believe, to take you through your induction. Good luck.” The receptionist smiled warmly. A completely different feel to the office than Joey had initially expected.

Joey grabbed his new uniform, slinking off to the changing area, and took a moment to process his thoughts as he slipped into the uniform, a little looser than the one he’d already tried on the other night…*blush* tucking his shirt into his pants, and adoring it with a simple black belt, and black shoes. The KaibaCorp logo on it was relatively inconspicuous and he didn’t feel so bad about being a corporate shill. Finger guns in the mirror, Joey grinned. He really scrubbed up well, although his blond mane could never be contained it was still out of his eyes.

Joey stepped into the elevator, feeling a little nervous, as he scanned his key card, and pressed the button for the 25th floor. His key card wouldn’t let him select the final floor, Kaiba’s office, and a few sporadic ones in-between that he assumed were for confidential projects and to stop employees aimlessly wandering.

The elevator travelled fast, and without having time to process his sudden nervousness, he arrived at the floor, and stepped out to a waiting Kaiba, and two programmers huddled around a computer, working on some code. Kaiba turned his head, and simply nodded to the blond to join them. The ceiling was unusually high in this room, with two duelling arenas set up, and bright lights running along the ceiling illuminating the workstations where whiteboards sprawled an entire wall and two computers on backup generators bookended long workbenches. In the corner behind the main door were hooks for their bags and a toilet. A hum from the electronics and coolers distracted from an otherwise silent moment where Kaiba was reading over the shoulder of a slim man with slightly greying hair around his temples.

“Good morning,” Joey said, quietly.

“Good morning,” Kaiba replied. “I’ll take a moment to introduce you to the people you’ll be working with, and then I’ll explain your job.” He motioned to the two people with him. “This is Mr. Tanaka, and Ms. Kim. They are my two key programmers on this project. This is my own project, that I’m personally taking care of. We are trying to create a more immersive and efficient battling system, much akin to the holographic technology you’re already used to.” Kaiba paused, making sure Joey understood. “Your task here is to simply put our progress to the test. You will be duelling computer-based decks, in the hopes of fixing bugs, and suggesting improvements. Right now, we are working on our heat and wind effects. The main programmers will be here from nine til six. You will be set up with a computer to log any glitches, and you will be expected to spend some time in the evenings writing up a progress report. Do you have any questions?”

Joey shook his head. He knew he was going to be beta testing something but getting to play with Duel Monsters tech before it was released was hella cool.

“Okay, your lunch break is at 3pm, and your two fifteen-minute breaks are around 1pm and 5pm, whenever you find an appropriate break in your testing. The cafeteria is on floor 7. If you have any dietary requirements, please let the chef know via your login portal that I will run you through soon.”

Joey nodded, wondering if the Kaiba he was used to, and this Kaiba, were two different people altogether. It’s almost like Kaiba had been talking to him like he didn’t _know_ who he was, although was that a bad thing in the workplace considering their history?

Maybe not.

Gotta spare some people the…details.

-

After Kaiba had spent some time in the morning recalibrating the arena in front of him, he showed Joey how the machine worked briefly, and then how to issue a debug code and where to log details and pull recorded gameplay.

Joey had been given access to any Duel Monsters card he could think of but was told to play with his own deck for a start, as that was what he was most comfortable with. They would log the response times, realism, and record any anomalies to get them fixed while they were in beta. Public release was projected very soon, and Kaiba would be planning a new Duel Monsters competition once they were done. That was his first confidential piece of news, and he promised not to spill.

Joey had set up a duel against Kaiba’s deck, of course, maybe he’d win, even against virtual Kaiba, and that would be enough for him. Setting the life points to 8000 and drawing his first card.

An evenly matched tug of war played out between the AI deck, and Joey’s real deck, although the computer wouldn’t be prone to making the same human mistakes, which could be a bad or a good thing. Although was it really any different to playing Seto Kaiba, who was surely just a robot? He smirked to himself before remembering he was on the clock and taking it all seriously again.

Joey summoned the Red Eyes Black Dragon, his signature card. Instead of a gigantic dragon popping up, an image of Joey dressed in a dog suit popped up instead.”

“Why you little!” Joey clenched his fists, wound up that Kaiba would do such a thing in the work place, after a quick reminder about “professionalism” during the induction process. “Hypocrite,” the blond muttered.

Ms. Kim looked up, and chuckled. “I think Mr. Kaiba has programmed that in just to mess with you! I wonder if we should leave it in til the final phase?”

“Please don’t!” Joey pleaded. “Unless we can do something humiliating with his precious Blue Eyes!”

Mr. Tanaka laughed heartily. “Only if you want to be fired on your first day!”

Joey found that the pair he was working with were filled with warm personalities and had welcomed him into their space with warm welcomes once Kaiba had left. Ms. Kim had bleached the tips of her hair a sunset golden, and when Joey had asked she said that “Mr. Kaiba doesn’t really mind as long as you’re on task and not wasting his time.” Mr Tanaka was quite fussy which translated both into his working style and into him making sure that Joey was going on lunch at the right time.

Joey simply wrote on his end of day report. Monster: Red Eyes Black Dragon; Issue: Kaiba.

-

Kaiba was sitting in his office between mid-afternoon meetings, aware that he had a big problem on his hands.

Said problem was his attraction to the blond, which had almost obsessively taken over his life.

Kaiba hadn’t realised a month ago, that he was this much of a flaming homosexual, but kissing Joey was electrifying, and he still couldn’t wrap his head around the complexities of their lingering hatred that had turned productively into lust. It was like the black and white rules of the fibres of his being had been marred, and he was lost somewhere amongst the grey.

It had taken every ounce of self-control, and a quick break at half past ten in his office, to keep his mind strictly business with the bright eyed blond with .

It’s a good thing he had a bathroom on his office. Since today was successful, he vowed to have five minutes of _personal time_ before going down to meet him.

Every day? If need be. Yes, maybe that would keep those problem thoughts at bay because the way Joey absolutely refused to button up his shirt past the third button leaving his neck exposed and just a hint of his sternum...

Maybe he _did_ have a suit fetish.

-

It was 5pm and the programmers were due to head home, after exchanging the usual “thank you for working hard” pleasantries and telling Joey they were looking forward to seeing him on Tuesday at 11am again. Joey bowed deeply as they left, before settling down to fill out his error reporting.  Together, in a single day, they had managed to find more problems than they’d been able to the week before combined. Considering his lack of formal qualifications, they were impressed with how quickly he picked up their programming lingo, and in Kaiba’s hiring (albeit a little perplexed for a while).

As Joey poured over the document, familiarising himself with the other summary reports that had been written, he didn’t notice that Kaiba himself had come down from his office. Kaiba’s cheeks a little flush.

“How has todays’ progress been?” Kaiba asked, softly enough not to frighten Joey.

“Oh, hey, Kaiba,” Joey greeted, glancing up from the report. “I don’t know, I think today’s been pretty good.”

“Mind if I look?” Seto asked, grabbing the chair beside Joey’s at the desk with the computer.

“Sure,” Joey pushed the computer towards him, and Kaiba scrolled through the report, making notes in scribbles on a spare piece of paper. His writing was relatively articulate considering it was Joey’s first day. He smirked when he saw the Red Eyes notes. Joey narrowed his eyes at Kaiba “Yeah, what was _that_ about?”

“Just because I’m the CEO doesn’t mean I can’t make a joke once in a blue moon.” Kaiba laughed, as he pulled up another computer, a little closer to the blond than both would normally feel comfortable with and began to type some code.

“You, make a joke? Did hell freeze over?” Joey jested.

“This is my pet project, I actually find some pleasure in doing this.”

“Is that why you’re working alone after hours on it?”

“I’m not alone,” Kaiba stated, like Joey was stupid.

“Well, yeah. But why am I the only one here with you. Surely you’d want your programmers here too?”

Seto scoffed. “I _am_ the lead programmer on this project, it’s the only thing I’m directly overseeing now, when the rest of my day isn’t full up with appointments from morons. My programmers have been taught to leave me comprehensive notes, so I don’t need them. I prefer to work alone because it helps me get in the zone. I spend the first hour of my day here when I’m in office, and I can do a lot of this remote.”

“Do you want me to leave?” Joey asked, turning his attention back to his keyboard, and the icon flashing at the end of his incomplete sentence.

“No, but you’re free to take your break if you’d like.”

“Nah, I’m in th’ groove.”

“Okay, well, I’m going to make a coffee. Do you want anything?”

“I’ll have a coffee too if you’re offering.”

“How do you like it?”

Joey shrugged. “Same as you I guess. Black and bitter like your soul.”

Kaiba laughed, nudging the blond, in an uncharacteristically good mood, as he got up and left the room.

 _‘Jeez, what’s wrong with him?’_ Joey mused, as he typed away at the keyboard. A few moments later, Kaiba returned, with two coffee cups. Setting one down by the blond, he turned back to his computer, furiously typing away.

“I fixed your Red Eyes,” Kaiba stated.

“Hah, thanks.” Joey took a sip at the ever-familiar taste of coffee, letting it linger on his tongue a little longer than he meant for.

-

Joey bounced into work the next day, early, paying a little more attention to his flyaway hair. It felt _nice_ to be dressed well, he felt attractive and powerful, and he began to understand why people like Kaiba would do it regularly. Although, being comfortable was still preferable, give him jeans and a tee any day!

He greeted Ms. Mizuki, bowed to the other employees in the office, and headed up to the 25th floor again, where the two programmers were standing around the hologram terminal, talking about dimensions and technical stuff Joey didn’t really understand.

“Good morning,” they said in unison, and Joey bowed to the duo. “We hope you had a good day yesterday,” Ms. Kim added.

“I, actually, quite enjoy this,” Joey blushed a little, realising that working a real job was a lot more rewarding than working at a convenience store, selling food and getting yelled by customers for running out of fried chicken.

“That’s good, Mr. Kaiba seems impressed with you. He didn’t say it in so many words, but with him, it’s better that way,” Mr. Tanaka laughed. “He only communicates well when he’s dissatisfied.”

“He is a man of mystery at the best of times,” Joey grinned, as he logged into his portal, to look through the daily communications.

“How _did_ he choose you for this job?”

Joey cocked his head to his side, wondering how to explain the mess that was their ‘relationship.’ “Well, I’m Mokuba’s friend, and Mokuba suggested I talk to Se-Kaiba about the job. I was in Kaiba’s class at school, and for some reason, he agreed to it. God knows why!” Joey scratched the back of his head and grinned a little, proud of himself for the careful consideration of words, and not sharing too much.

“Master Kaiba is a good kid. He’s going to grow up to be a fine leader. If you ask me, Mr. Kaiba is lucky to have raised such a smart and thoughtful younger brother. Don’t tell him I said that, though!” Ms. Kim smiled, as she turned back to her work, and Joey began to tackle the daily tasks.

-

Unfortunately for Joey, Kaiba hadn’t been able to meet up this week, swamped in _‘stupid business meetings with idiots who think they know better than me’_ – Kaiba’s words. Joey felt a little sense of _excitement_ that Kaiba would be joining him that Friday night after they’d been in sync on Monday. The weeks’ testing had been fantastic, having an entire day almost error free to finish off the week, which meant the team could begin to work on the next phase of development. The deadline was looming, three weeks to go until they should be able to go gold.

The rest of the office, along with the two programmers had headed out for Friday night drinks at a cheap bar three blocks away, and while Joey was invited, he motioned that he’d join later if he was done on time.

Kaiba had been pouring over sheets of diagrams and lines of code, without muttering a word, for a few hours while the programming team had still been there, but once they left, he headed up to his office for a moment, and brought back down some coffees for the pair without asking.

“Today we need to work on the 4D effects. Specifically, the heat and wind projecting.”

“Not the type of blow job I was expecting from you.” Joey winked.

“Mind out of the gutter, you’re at work.” Although, Kaiba smirked a little, as he plugged his laptop into the side of the projection setup. “I’ll need you to stand up there, and I’ll simulate monster attacks. I need to calibrate it to recognise height. If it aims for Yugi’s head, for example, it’ll only get you in the stomach.”

“Aw, he’s not quite that short,” Joey laughed, understanding what Kaiba meant. He stood in the podium, loading his deck into his duel disc, although this one was a new model where you could customise the colour and theme for your own duel disc. Another perk of the office? He gets to keep it once he’s done.

Joey flinched, as the freezing wind first hit him in the face in full force, but relaxed as they played with the intensity, dependent on the attack points of the monster. Kaiba also fiddled with heat, until he was satisfied that his parameters weren’t too hot or cold for brief contact. Once he was done, he also joined Joey on the opposite side of the setup, wanting to experience it for himself. Life points turned off, they summoned monsters, attacking each other, pausing, adjusting a little, continuing, until it became a battle of dragons and trap cards, and insults began to slip out, like they were duelling for real.

“You’re such a third-rate duellist!”

“You’re just a rich prick!”

“You’re just a stupid dog!”

“You’re colder than the Arctic!”

“You want me to change the temperature?” Kaiba smirked, blasting him with frigid air again.

“Asshole!” Joey frowned, and then laughed. And couldn’t stop laughing. How, on earth, did he end up liking this asshat, and how did he begin to enjoy his time with just the two of them?

Joey’s laughter infectious, even Kaiba began to laugh. And it wasn’t the usual antihero laugh, it was a genuine, from his heart laugh. Kaiba thought he might have been having a heart attack, he hadn’t laughed like this in a long time. Maybe he should get his head checked?

Joey looked at the time, and realised they’d been together for a few hours past his 7pm knock off time. “Uh, Kaib. It’s like, past 9 o’clock.”

Kaiba looked at the clock, in disbelief. Not only had working with Joey not been tedious, but they’d managed to complete what he’d estimated to be two days’ worth of work, in just four hours together.

“Right, yeah. I do want to talk about the job,” Kaiba said, stepping off the platform they’d been messing around on.

“Oh, yeah, right, it’s been a week,” Joey trailed off.

“Don’t be like that, it’s not bad news. I’m impressed enough with the workload you’ve managed to take on with such little training. I want to keep you on. If you’d like, past the end of this project. We certainly have room somewhere in the company for you.”

“Are you sure?” Joey’s heart soared, sceptical of the offer.

“Would you stop doubting me.” Kaiba huffed. “I’ll revoke it if you can’t be more confident in what you’re doing, idiot.”

“Oh, shut up, you. We went from being enemies a mere few weeks ago, and now you’re offering me a proper job. Part of me thinks this is a practical joke.”

“There’s two things I don’t joke about. My company, and my brother.”

“Right. Yeah. Well, of course.” Joey shrugged. “I’m hardly going to say no.”

Kaiba smiled, “you need to go and relax. Have a good weekend so you can come back refreshed on Monday.”

“Yeah, sure.”

“One more thing.”

“Yeah?”

“If anybody asks, I’m still a robot.” And with that, Kaiba took his laptop, and headed up the elevator.

At some point in the evening, as Kaiba typed up his notes from the testing in his office above the city lights, he had realised that he was beginning to _truly_ enjoy their time together. He wasn’t sure when, but it wasn’t just the physical attraction to him, he wasn’t just aroused when they were meeting up. Sure, maybe afterwards his heart beat a little faster, but he enjoyed being able to spend time with somebody who didn’t talk down to him like he was too young, nor talk to him with too many honorifics, and didn’t treat him like a robot.

It was comfortable, it was _nice_. Nice wasn’t a word Kaiba had even considered to be in his vocabulary.

Something compelled him to upgrade Joey’s key card to access his office too.

Was it going to backfire? Maybe. But Kaiba couldn’t decide whether he cared or not.


	10. Chapter 10

After an uneventful weekend, dealing with the drunken mess that his father had left around the apartment, Monday brought some reprieve. Now officially a full-time worker, Joey began to consider what that meant for him, and whether he should consider finding his own apartment once his first pay check rolled in. God knows he didn’t have time to be stressed out wondering if his father was going to vomit on the floor again.

Joey had been on autopilot during his Monday morning haze, still not used to the morning routine, although he thanked the heavens he only started at 11am and could avoid rising before the sun and dealing with rush hour traffic. He hadn’t noticed the 26th floor was now selectable.

The programmers had made a comment about how quickly they’d worked through the first lot of 4D programming, praising Kaiba’s hiring decisions once again. Mr. Tanaka had joked that Joey must have been a magician.

“I mean, we’ve duelled together in competitions, so we seem to have a flow,” Joey had said, rather perplexed. “But we used to fight at school, so I don’t quite understand how I ended up wit’ a permanent job.”

“Maybe Mr. Kaiba is going soft,” Ms. Kim said, with an innocent wink that still left Joey unsettled.

As he left the office, just after 7pm, he noticed the 26th floor glowing green.

Hmm. He hadn’t seen Kaiba all day.

_Not that he was on his mind, not at all._

The same scene in the elevator greeted him on Tuesday, and Joey for a moment wanted to press the button that he was _sure_ he wasn’t meant to have access to. Wouldn’t sex on the top storey be fun? No, you can’t have those thoughts about your boss.

Well, you _can_ but you _shouldn’t_ …but it’s a little _too_ _late to be showing regret_?

He decided that he appreciated having everything intact and that it was a clerical error.

Every morning Joey had to sign in on a staff portal where company-wide news was shared and hours were logged for payroll. There was an invitation about the end of project reveal party. Joey hesitated for a moment, but decided not to respond either way. He felt like he’d be very out of place, he hardly had anything to wear, either, that wasn’t work clothing. Oh, except _that_ suit, but maybe it was a little too formal? What’s the protocol with events like these? The programmers began to code the next phase, and taught Joey how to set up simulations through their computers too, and ran him through a basic understanding of how they programmed.

It didn’t seem as boring as he’d assumed.

Wednesday came, still no sighting of Kaiba, although Ms. Kim had said he was out on business with the Kaiba Land expansion, and that he was thankful they’d managed to get ahead of schedule in the meantime. Although, when the programmers left, and Joey was in the middle of writing his summary of the day, Kaiba the Thundercloud rolled in, in his, as Joey called it, ‘get shit done’ outfit. Usual tight leather pants, boots, long coat that screams ‘I’m the fuckin’ boss.’ He donned two coffee cups, placing them both beside Joey before placing his bag down against the table, a smooth caffeine scent comforting.

“Hey,” Joey greeted, faltering for a moment to admire the leather pants. _‘I wonder how long it takes him to slip into_ those _, every morning.’_

“Hi.” Kaiba was angry, Joey hesitated to ask why before giving him a while of silence, letting Kaiba sigh to himself at whiteboard before drawing rapidly. Any faster and his marker would set on fire.

“If you want to talk, I’m here. If not, I understand.” Joey’s fingers lightly tapped the keyboard, careful to hold his breath as to not set Kaiba off.

“No. I don’t.”

“Okay.”

Kaiba was taken aback by the softness in the blond’s voice, and remembered why they’d been somehow getting along so seamlessly. He relaxed a little but was still too tense with a stress headache stemming from his tightly wound shoulders.

“It’s the Kaiba Land expansion. Requiring me out of office for inane shit that should have been an email.” Kaiba shrugged off his coat, hanging it on a peg behind the door.

Joey laughed lightly. “I hope you made them pay.”

“I am.” Kaiba pulled up the chair beside Joey, grabbing his laptop out of his bag, and sliding his glasses on after wiping them with a microfibre cloth. A while of working in silence, apart from a few ‘Hmmm’s’ from the CEO, he finally asked “are you coming to the reveal?”

“Ummm…” Joey paused. “Should I?”

“Of course you should. We wouldn’t be launching in time if you hadn’t worked as hard on it with us.”

Joey blushed. “Well, um.”

“Okay, I’m personally inviting you then, if it makes a difference. I expect you to be there to have a duel against me.”

Joey snorted. “Are ya sure ya want to duel ‘gainst me? What if I beat you?”

“Hah!” Kaiba laughed, nose crinkling in faux disgust. “In your dreams, Wheeler!”

“Them’s fightin’ words.”

“Good.” Kaiba turned back to his laptop. “You have the time, you have the suit, you have a subpar deck of cards and no known social life. I don’t see any problems.”

 _You have the suit._ Joey’s face burned, remembering the ball night, missing the insults the brunette had slipped in.

“So, who are ya takin’ to the reveal?”

Kaiba looked up, raising one eyebrow. “What do you mean by that?”

“As your date?”

Kaiba laughed before realising Joey was serious. “I don’t take _dates_.” He rolled his eyes and turned back to his screen.

“Why not?”

“Because dating is a waste of my time.” Kaiba’s reply was a little abrupt. He took a swig of his coffee, screwing up his face as he realised his cup was empty.

“Or because you don’t want the world to know you’re into guys?” Joey winked, a little too cocky. He brushed his hair out of his eyes and went back to typing feeling the storm beside him shift in his seat.

“I’m not into guys.”

Joey shrugged. “It’s the 21st century. There’s nothing wrong with being gay.”

“Well,” Kaiba hissed, “are you out to the nerd herd?”

Joey looked down at his keyboard. “Well, not explicitly, no.”

“Why not?”

“I just…yeah, I see your point.” Joey began to type again, although a little slower than before. He wasn’t expecting Kaiba to listen to his ramblings, but he began thinking aloud anyway. “I mean, how d’ ya tell ya friends ya gay? Nobody’s really hasslin’ me f’ not dating. And if I did say I was gay, they’d ask me who I liked, and that’s a difficult thing to explain…” Joey clammed up, realising he was saying too much. “…I’m sorry.” Joey apologised, and Kaiba merely hummed in acknowledgement before typing away thoughtfully.

“You’re different now,” Joey said cautiously after a while.

“Different?”

“I don’t know. I guess we don’t fight now. Although, you pay my rent so I guess I’m at your mercy.”

“I’m not different.” Kaiba huffed. “I’m merely being professional, and I suggest you be the same.”

“It’s been weeks since you called me stupid dog insults with the same vitriol ya would at school.”

“Because you’re my _employee_. Would you like me start again, mutt?”

“No. But since ya back t’ being so short an’ cold again, it’s seven now, and I’m gon’ leave, so.” Joey picked up his bag, and without another word, left the room before he got kicked out.

The room suddenly seemed too cold and quiet, despite the electronic hum. Kaiba buried his head in his hands. ‘ _You handled that one like a champion.’_

-

Joey came into work on Thursday, a little wound up with the conversation the night before but decided to let it slide. It was not worth poking an angry bear, especially as his first pay had come through, which had been more than he could have earned in a month at the Convenience Store. Not to mention, he was beginning to _like_ the morning routine, which was a foreign concept considering his school tardiness. But work gave him purpose and he didn’t have to take mathematics anymore, and anything had to be more motivating than spending warm days trapped inside with thirty sweaty teenagers and teachers who looked like they’d fallen out of love with careers they were too indebted to.

But Thursday brought a much more refreshing scene than the night before. Kaiba had been spending all day on the project, which meant he was in a much better mood. No short snips, just hard work and minimal communication between at least six cups of strong black coffee which overpowered the room with an earthy smell that Joey was slowly falling in like with.

Joey took his break at ten to five, knowing when he got back the other programmers would have left. Whilst in the cafeteria, he hesitantly made a second coffee to take back for Kaiba (who needs that much caffeine anyway), hoping it would help ease him into a better mood and break the ice from yesterday.

When he hit the testing room, he found Kaiba pacing on his cellphone, in a visibly angry mood. “I don’t care” and “if it’s not done by lunch time you’re fired” were just a few of the things Joey caught through other seething muttering. He placed the coffee down by Kaiba’s computer, and sat at his own, making a mental note to work in silence tonight, lest he be eaten alive.

“Thanks.” Kaiba’s acknowledgement of the coffee was crisp, but Joey noticed the CEO’s face wasn’t contorted like it was before. Kaiba closed his eyes and let the black liquid hit his lips, Joey’s heart beat a little faster watching the long eyelashes flutter.

“It’s okay.” Joey continued to type, hyperaware of the brunette’s actions.

“I’m sorry for being snappy yesterday.” Kaiba sat down beside Joey, a little surprised at himself for uttering the apology.

“No, I shoul’ be the one sayin’ sorry. I was actin’ like a jerk.” Joey pouted a little, and Kaiba’s heart soared, wanting to kiss the pout away.

_But you shouldn’t._

“Old habits die hard.” Kaiba mused at the parallel thoughts, nursing the coffee.

“I’m sorry I let ya wind me up, I’m sorry I can’t help but wind ya up. I’m tryin’ to be better.”

“I’m trying to be better too. I do let stress get the best of me and for whatever reason, seeing you makes me feel irrational.”

An awkward silence filled the room; a thick irony that both men wanted each other to make a move to justify how they were feeling.

 _‘But you shouldn’t be doing those things in the workplace_ ,’ Kaiba chided himself.

Tomorrow’s a new day. Today’s a little progress.

-

“Thank God it’s Friday!” Joey exclaimed to himself, stretching his arms over his head as he came back to the testing chambers after his evening break. There hadn’t been so much for him to do during the first half of the day as Mr. Tanaka had been requested to help with the gaming division, so he’d been sent on errands, from taking a pile of confidential documents downstairs to the production team, to modelling a new range of inhouse uniforms for the employee catalogue.

“I trust that you’ve found this week satisfactory?” Kaiba asked, pulling cords out of the duelling arena, screwdriver between his teeth. He had an array of tools splayed on the ground, and his button-down shirt was discarded so he was just wearing a thermal and his business pants.

“It’s been good, yeh. Hey, anythin’ I can help with?”

Kaiba hummed as he unscrewed the side panel to right hand player’s box. “Are you any good at engineering?”

Joey peered over Kaiba’s shoulder, understanding immediately what Kaiba was trying to fix. “Yeh, I’m pretty nimble with mah hands.” He squatted down and Kaiba pointed out what he wanted him to fix as he heated up the soldering gun. Kaiba smelled like oil and sweat and had grease over his fingers as he unscrewed a copper pipe and held the new one in place for Joey to solder while keeping the wires out of the way with his other hand. He motioned for Joey to pass over each tool as he needed it, lying on his side to get an unobstructed view of what he was working on. Joey thought that Kaiba presenting anything but pristine was hella attractive.

“Is that what was causin’ all th’ meltdowns earlier?” Joey asked, getting up to pass Kaiba some new fuses that had blown earlier in the afternoon, removing the panel had emitted a burning electrical smell.

“This machine is merely an early prototype. I don’t think it was equipped to handle all of the stress testing, but it’s done what I needed it to with less memory than the arenas we’ll be duelling on soon.” Kaiba motioned for Joey to shine a torch while he popped open another panel and replaced a few parts that had been collateral damage.

“Y’sure do know a lot about everythin’,” Joey said in awe, thinking Kaiba was too prissy to get his hands dirty.

“They say jack of all trades, master of none,” Kaiba replied, wiping his hands on a cloth. “I prefer jack of all trades, master of plenty.” He screwed the panel back into place and turned the machine back on. “After all, the only one who cares about this place running to maximum efficiency is me.”

“I don’t think that’s true,” Joey argued. “Y’ have a great team. Tanaka and Kim are delights t’ work with.”

“Hmmmm.” Kaiba disappeared for a while, and Joey assumed it was to clean himself off. When he came back he had a new Duel Disk in hand and plugged it into his laptop to upload firmware to it, before plugging it into the arena and testing that the bugs had been fixed. Working flawlessly, Kaiba smiled to himself for a job well done, and looked over at Joey who had resumed his work, reading notes about the latest banned card list sent by Industrial Illusions, assuming Kaiba and Pegasus must have met recently to discuss this new project.

Kaiba recollected the last fortnight. Joey’s work ethic was leaps and bounds above his school persona. Despite the glowing work reference, he was sceptical through the contract signing, through Joey’s first day turning up on time, and even now as the honeymoon of working with duel monsters testing was wearing off. Most other short-term hires were well over it by the end of week two. But Joey was happily motoring along, doing as he needed to, immersing himself in the working culture, saying hi to people in the hallways and to the receptionists in the morning. It almost pained him to admit that Joey was everything a good workplace needed. Charismatic and kind.

“I think I’m losing my mind,” Kaiba muttered out loud.

“Y’good?” Joey asked.

“Just…” Kaiba cut himself off. “Never mind.”

“Alright. I know ya not that good at that talkin’ stuff. But like, the offer is still here to talk about whatever if ya need.”

“What I need to say to you is completely inappropriate for me to say right now.” Kaiba’s heartbeat hitched in his throat as the words fell out of his mouth, feeling disgusted in himself for his impulsivity.

“Do you even know appropriate timing?” Joey jested, taking invitation to another small mental breakdown of sorts.

“I just need to say it before we get ourselves into a conundrum.” Kaiba drummed his fingertips on the desk as he took a seat beside Joey and looked him deep in his eyes. “We haven’t addressed what keeps occurring. I think we need to set some ground rules.”

Joey caught up with what Kaiba was trying to broach, after all the failed attempts in the last month of conversation after their golden moments with an underlying choice of words that made it seem like this wasn’t something he explicitly wanted to lose. “Maybe it’s a good thing to um, like agree to not do anythin’ while we’re here or whatever.”

“Precisely.” Kaiba exhaled with relief. “I’m glad that’s settled.”

And with not so many words at all, it was agreed upon. No teasing each other on the clock. No inappropriate touching, kissing. Maybe a subtle flirt that would go unnoticed if another person overheard. Just by-the-book paid-by-the-hour family-friendly workplace banter.

“Sorry to break it to ya,” Joey said, changing the subject, “but it’s time f’ me to enjoy my weekend freedom.”

Kaiba looked at his watch. “Indeed.”

“Are you home t’morrow?”

“Are you propositioning me?” Kaiba questioned.

“No, boss. I’m just hangin’ out with Mokuba in the afternoon. Jus’ makin’ sure you don’t think I’m like, stalking you from work t’ home either.” Joey shrugged as he grabbed his coat from the hanger and threw on his backpack, grabbing his phone out of the front pocket and untangling the broken headphones.

“You still haven’t replaced it?” Kaiba asked with a condescending glare.

“Hey, I just had m’first pay come through. I’m tryin’ to figure out my life before I upgrade m’ phone.”

Kaiba huffed, motioning him to stop talking before disappearing momentarily, bringing back a small white and blue box.

“What are you…?” Joey asked, as Kaiba thrust the box in his direction.

“Sometimes, your employer might need to get in touch with you.”

“But dis is too much.”

“It’s last year’s flagship. Every long-term employee gets a free upgrade. It just so happens that I still have stock on hand that isn’t part of inventory due to a resignation.”

Joey just gaped.

“If you want to repay me, come to mine before Mokuba gets home. We can discuss the upcoming reveal, and practise duelling each other with our updated decks. It can be strictly business, or whatever.”

And in not so many words, Joey knew what he was insinuating. He nodded anyway, before taking his leave and heading home to the cold apartment that he called home, only for a little while longer.


	11. Chapter 11

Joey realised he’d left work without asking what time Kaiba meant to come around. Mokuba wasn’t meant to be home until 1:30pm, which really meant that anytime from 9am was probably safe so it really depended on how much of his weekend he was willing to surrender to his boss. He debated whether to just turn up, before sending Kaiba a message on LINE on his shabby phone. His new one was stowed in his backpack to play with overnight before he’d inevitably fall asleep at around 3am after his father got kicked out of a bar for excessively drinking, returning home, slamming doors, and vomiting before passing out on the couch with a half-drunk can in hand.

Bottles were strewn around the doorway as Joey tiptoed into the apartment. It was obvious that his father had already left for the night, with last night’s leftovers messily left on the kitchen bench, noodles spilling over the side of the Styrofoam box. Joey sighed as he collected empty bottles up and put them aside to be taken down to the rubbish shed in the complex, then focussing his attention on wiping down surfaces and putting couch cushions on the tiny balcony to air out after alcohol had been spilled on them.

Another power bill had come and was lying on the bench as if strategically placed so Joey could find it. This one wasn’t as bad as last month’s now that they were tiptoeing into the throes of spring, but Joey still felt sick as he considered how much of his pay check would be left if he paid for it instead of letting it get to final notice again. April was always a bad month in the Wheeler household. It was the anniversary of when his mother asked for a divorce and took his sister away.

Sitting on the edge of his futon, Joey considered his options. How indebted did he really feel to his father? Was it enough to keep existing in this shoddy apartment in the gang districts of Domino? He called it existing because it certainly wasn’t living, scrubbing alcohol out of fabrics and mopping floors. Forget Tatami Mats, they had been thrown out many moons ago.

There were few possessions that Joey had in the house, so fear of retaliation wasn’t much of an issue. Other than his suit, which he had neatly folded in its bag and hidden behind a fake wall he’d installed in his closet a few years ago, the only other things were a few photos of him and Serenity, and his duel disk and cards that he mostly kept on him day-to-day. Anything else, any loose coins or snacks ended up victim to his father’s drunk rifling through his room.

_Bzzz_. His phone lit up on the futon beside him. Forgetting that he’d messaged Kaiba first, he felt surprised to see his name flash up.

_S:  I usually awake around seven in my weekends, and Mokuba is going out at nine. Do with that as you wish._

Joey grinned to himself as he paused before responding.

_J: Don’t worry, it’ll 4 sure be between 10 or 11_

_S: *rolling eye emoji*_

Joey was lying on his stomach scrolling aimlessly through his phone, when he heard his father drunkenly open the door and drop something heavy on the kitchen countertop. The time was 2:42am, and the refrigerator opened, a squeak from where the seal was coming loose.

“Good f’nuthi’n piece’f’’s’hit,” Joey heard him curse before his voice muffled and a can fizzed. He heard the weight of his body flop onto the couch and let out a belch as he hit the worn cushions.

Joey rolled his eyes to himself in the dark and continued to peruse Duel Monsters forums on his sparkling new phone, putting in his new in-box headphones. It was nice to have something that was new and pretty and even nicer to have headphones that worked on both sides without wiggling the cord or having it held together by six layers of electrical tape.

Maybe it _was_ about time that he escaped the prison. While not being able to necessarily find a good apartment on his salary alone, it was sure better than being a live-in maid whose name was being uttered every night with drunken despair by someone who didn’t appreciate just how much Joey’s part time jobs had kept a roof over their head in the last three years.

 

-

 

“What time do you call this?” Kaiba answered the front door, after Joey had buzzed the intercom.

“Ten-fifty-two,” Joey replied, blinking. “I said I’d be over around ten or eleven. Dis is still technically within’ my promised time!”

Seto just sighed, before opening the door up and letting Joey enter. Kicking off his shoes and leaving them haphazardly in the entranceway, Joey followed Kaiba’s lead into the library on the right side of the hall. Kaiba had only raised his eyes when realising that Joey had a bag in tow, which he placed carefully in the corner leaning against a leather armchair. The room had a high ceiling, and a row of bookshelves along the interior wall at least two stories high, with a ladder attached to a rail that spanned the length of the room. On a table that had been set centre with grids carved into it, Kaiba had neatly placed his deck on one side and plugged in his own duel disk giving the grid a light blue glow. An arrangement of packaged traditional snacks had been thoughtfully placed to the other side. Despite the otherwise western room, the table was on top of custom-made Tatami mats with cushions on either side to sit.

“Would you like anything to drink?” Kaiba asked.

“Uhhh, a coffee would be good, yeah.” Kaiba hummed as he headed to the kitchen, coming back with two cups and coasters, placing one down on each side of the table. He indicated for Joey to sit, who crossed his legs while Kaiba decided to sit seiza. Kaiba sipped the coffee as if it was lukewarm while handing his deck over to Joey to be shuffled. Joey sipped on his coffee, burning his tongue just a touch before using both hands to seamlessly shuffle Kaiba’s sleeve-protected deck. The one sitting on the top had a slight bend in the corner and Joey held it up to the light.

“Gyakutenno Megami,” Seto said simply, reaching over and shuffling Joey’s beat-up deck, dog-eared and unprotected, before reaching under his desk and getting out card protectors and mindlessly sliding them in the sleeves without looking. “I only have her in my deck because she reminds me of what I’ve been through to get here.”

Joey crooked his eyebrow. “I hardly remember her winnin’ ya any duels.”

“Yes, but she’s saved me in other ways.” He thumbed through the cards once more before shuffling and handing the deck back over. “You should put more care into your possessions.”

“I try,” Joey muttered. “My deck’s on me at all times though, s’like, been through hell an’ back. A remind’a of where I’ve been t’ get here too.”

Kaiba just hummed and set his deck into his duel disk.

As far as duels between them go, this was incredibly subdued. Coffee yet to kick in, nobody to show off to, and a minimal name-calling as Joey furrowed his brows and tried to work out Kaiba’s new additions to his deck. It had been a little while since they’d last been in an arena, flashy lights adding to the theatrics of announcing card effects and boasting overconfidence.

It was the way that Joey bit his lip and scratched his forehead, hair falling into his eyes that left Seto _fucked_. Hypnotic. Every time he licked his lips or made a hum as if he was thinking about his next move. Seto would be lying if he didn’t know what he’d signed up for when he’d invited the rookie over, but he’d be forgiven for mistaking it for more than just lustrous desire.

Disassociatively, he got up mid turn, pushing Joey on the floor and pressing his lips on his like something had frayed in his heartstrings. Clothes were discarded, fingertips were brushing soft curves and sharp ribs, back pressed into the tatami with hips arching up. As quickly as it started they were together on the floor amongst heavy breaths and afterglow, pheromones stained against flush cheekbones. An exhale snapping them back to the brightly lit room and mid-game frustrations that had released themselves so bizarrely in private. Joey couldn’t work out what had made Kaiba snap. Every time they ended up in this position it surprised him more than the last. Almost like it was becoming a habit.

And then they resumed their duel as if nothing had even happened. Except Joey’s hair was messier than when he’d arrived, and he couldn’t quite concentrate on the rest of the duel.

“Hey, Kaiba?” Joey asked tentatively after a moment of considering which card to put down.

“Hn?” Seto lifted his gaze to Joey who had interlaced his fingers, cards sitting face down on the edge of the table.

“I know we havn’ like, labelled anythin’ and that’s cool by me but like, while we do this,” Joey gestured between the two of them weakly, “can it just be like, exclusive or whatever?”

“Do you even have to ask,” Seto replied, placing his Blue Eyes down, and then calling an attack on Joey’s life points.

“Cool.”

“So, why do you have your suit here?” Seto asked.

Joey blushed. “Ahh, I just…things ain’t so great at home and I was wonderin’ if I could leave it here f’now?”

“This isn’t your personal wardrobe, Wheeler,” Seto huffed. “Whatever. I guess it’s fine. It’s not like you’re going to need it without and invite somewhere.”

“Thanks, Kaiba,” Joey leaned back on his palms and exhaled. “Hey, I’m hungry. Got any food in dis place?”

“I have a kitchen, yes.”

“Can I…?”

“Knock yourself out.”

“Do you want me t’make you anything?”

Seto noncommittally shrugged. They jumped a little as they heard the click of the kitchen door and an “I’m home” from Mokuba, unaware that the time had slipped through their fingers.

“Hey!” Joey got up, socks slipping on the tatami and greeting him in the kitchen. “How’s it going?”

“Hey, how long have you been here?”

Joey shrugged. “I dunno, like, an hour?” he lied through his teeth as Mokuba’s eyes locked on his hair. “Ya brother wanted ta chat about some work stuff since he knew we were hangin’ out anyway.”

“Uh huh,” Mokuba replied, unconvinced. Joey opened the refrigerator, scanning it for inspiration.

“You want anythin’ for lunch, kid? I’m starvin’ and I sorta told Kaib’ I’d make him whatever.” Joey grabbed out some chicken fillets from the refrigerator and hunted through the cupboard for what he needed. “I can whip up a quick Katsudon?”

“Sounds good!” Mokuba chirped, slinging his satchel over the back of the chair, perching at the counter island and watching Joey make a trail of mess behind him. “Hey, I hope my brother has been nice to you.”

Joey smiled as he cracked an egg into a bowl. “Yeh, he’s playin’ nice enough, though I wonder how much of it is coz we hav’ta be stuck in the same room together.” Joey hummed to himself, wondering why Kaiba had suddenly made himself scarce. “But thanks f’ the job opportunity, Mokuba, it’s been fun. Nothing beats playing with early Duel Monsters tech, apart from participating in the competitions themselves!”

“Talking of which,” Kaiba entered the room coolly, “there’s a competition I’ll be announcing at our reveal.” He quickly added “not that I said anything to you about it now.”

“Breakin’ company confidentiality for lil’ old me?” Joey asked, with a cheeky twinkle in his eye. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“It’s merely a week-in-advance notice. I have further use for you after this, which we’ll discuss at work this week.”

“Sounds sinister. About time I got to mop your ass in public.”

“And exactly who won our duel earlier, idiot?”

Mokuba had noticed Joey’s cheeks flair a crimson and smiled wickedly. He wasn’t sure if his brother was aware that he’d slipped up on that detail.

“Anyway, asshole, you eatin’ or what?” Joey motioned at the three bowls he’d laid out, as he waited for the rice to finish.

“…sure.” Kaiba rolled his eyes and pulled his cell phone out antisocially.

“So, what’s your plans tomorrow?” Mokuba asked. Joey pushed a finished bowl towards him. He poked the egg on top which spilled down his chicken and pooled on top of his rice. His eyes glistened in excitement before digging in.

“Well, I was planning on spending some time looking for apartments,” Joey said, shyly, placing the dishes in the dishwasher.

“Oh yeah?” Mokuba asked. “Any reason why?”

“I live with my Dad, he’s uh…unpleasant to be around. Not to mention the commute is a little far, and the area isn’t nice.” Joey sighed.

“Why don’t you move in here?” the teen asked suspiciously, winking.

“No,” the two older teens responded in unison to which Mokuba snickered.

“You know, we have KaibaCorp apartments for our staff we lease out?” Seto muttered, picking up his chopsticks and nodding a silent thank you for the lunch. Joey shook his head. “You should try reading your employee pack then.”

“I’m sure they’re out of my price range,” Joey muttered.

“What’s your price range?” Kaiba asked.

“Maybe a thousand a month or so…” Joey trailed off.

“Hmm…” Kaiba got up abruptly leaving his meal untouched, and Mokuba shot him a look with one eyebrow raised.

Joey stacked all the dishes in the dishwasher before sitting beside Mokuba, who just shrugged in response to the reaction.

Kaiba returned a little while later. “What are you doing tomorrow?”

“Oh, uh, nothing yet, why?”

“Ooh, a date?” squealed the teen.

“No” Seto shot Mokuba a murderous glare. “I have an apartment to show you, close to work, your price range. Does twelve suit you?”

“Uh, yeah, wheneva’s good,” replied Joey.

“I’ll message you with the details.” Seto grabbed his meal and escaped to his office before Mokuba could ask too many questions.

 

-

 

The apartment was nothing Joey had ever imagined he’d be able to afford. It was clean, neat, spacious, with a separate bedroom and living area, and a kitchenette disjointed from the main entrance, which was practically unheard of without paying some big bucks. Located on the second to top storey, with a gorgeous view of the ocean in the distance from the living room window, where a small balcony sat.

“Are you sure this is in my price range?” Joey squeaked. The apartment he was in now was a comparable price, in the rough area of town, and was nowhere near as spacious.

“Yes. It’s a thousand flat a month, inclusive.”

“Why so cheap? What’s wrong with it?”

Kaiba rolled his eyes. “One. Nothing’s wrong with it. KaibaCorp benefits. Two. There’s got to be some extra benefit to dating the CEO of a big company, so.” Kaiba caught himself off-guard but relaxed when Joey hadn’t appeared to notice the slip of tongue.

“So?”

“Do you want it?”

“Um, like, yeah, I do.” Joey stood staring incredulously for a long time. “Why are ya being so nice?”

Seto waved his inquiry away. “Do you want it or am I wasting my time?”

Joey nodded. “Okay, um, so where do I sign?”

“Here.” Seto pulled out a contract from inside his coat. Joey knew he couldn’t get better than a month-by-month contract, most places signed on for a year minimum, but more commonly two. Plus, he didn’t need a guarantor, key money, any of that kind of stuff that had hindered him from moving out sooner.

Skimming the contract, he smiled and signed on the dotted line, for the second time in such a short space of time.

 

-

 

“So, big brother,” Mokuba slyly slid closer to Seto as he dished up the takeaways he’d brought home after showing Joey the apartment. “What’s new?”

Seto furrowed his brow. “What’s that meant to mean, kid?”

“Well, ya know, you and Joey are getting awfully friendly.”

“What exactly are you insinuating, brat?” Seto portioned a small amount of Pad Thai into a bowl for him, and the rest for Mokuba, grabbing chopsticks out of the kitchen drawer and passing them over.

Mokuba giggled as he grabbed his bowl of Pad Thai, biting straight into a chilli and coughing. Face bright red, he washed it down with the Tom Yum soup before recovering. “I’m just happy that you’ve got a friend, Seto. That’s all.” Mokuba’s grin said otherwise and when Seto didn’t bite, he added “seems like a little more than _just_ friends if you ask me.”

“If you’re asking if we’re dating, we’re not.” Seto said abruptly. “Not a chance. I don’t have time or energy for a relationship.”

Mokuba noted his lack of denial about seeing Joey as more than a friend and smiled to himself when Seto got up to get a cup of water. Things were falling into place, finally. Seto seemed happier too. Even one degree when it’s barely zero outside feels like a lot.

 

-

 

Joey decided to begin using the KaibaCorp gym, located on floor ten, noticing he’d lost a little of the muscle definition between the end of school and now, due to eating better and doing less exercise. Benefits are benefits, and it’s not like he had anywhere he’d rather be on a Tuesday night, the clock just on quarter past seven.

Taking off his suit, and hanging it in the locker area, he chucked on a singlet and workout shorts, put his earbuds in, and jumped on the treadmill to warm up. He wasn’t unfit, per say, but he certainly wasn’t as fit as his younger days with all the run-ins with the gangs around Domino.

He ran with a hazy mind, in tempo with the rock in his ears. Slowly, the rest of the gym-goers dissipated, leaving just him on the floor with a TV showing music videos in the background for ambience.

“Hey,” he heard a voice behind him, and he looked over his shoulder to a well underdressed CEO, with just a black tee and shorts on. Kaiba looked like a different person without the suit and seemed a lot calmer too, almost like it was the source of his problems instead of just a symptom. Joey pulled his earbuds out, to acknowledge Kaiba.

“Hey, what brings ya here? Didn’t take ya for th’ type.”

“I’m overworked and needed an excuse for a break.” Kaiba jumped on the treadmill beside, noticing Joey’s accent was thicker outside of work. “I’m trying to make better decisions.”

“What’s got y’ stressed t’day?”

“The usual pleasures.”

“I’m ears if you want them. I won’t be offended if you don’t, either.” Joey smiled and looked back at his own treadmill.

“Thanks,” Kaiba chucked in his own earbuds, and the two ran together drowning in their own music for a while, until Joey bowed out, to try his hands at some weights.

Kaiba’s mind was running wild with anger, from the horrible day he’d had with investors that talked down to him for his age, waggling land consent forms with large bribery prices attached. As he ran, he began to rationalise his thoughts, and figure out a game plan on how to make those suits _pay_ in other ways. He’d almost forgotten he had quasi-company, who was bench pressing around 100kg, which wasn’t bad for his first go at a gym in a long time. He stopped the machine and took out his earphones to hear Joey’s light grunts, noticing a river of sweat running down his temple, and veins showing in his forearms.

_God. Damn. It._ And like a drug, Kaiba was hooked again.

“You have a nice form,” Kaiba commented suavely.

“Thanks. Do ya do weights?” Joey asked, in resting position.

“I don’t have a good form,” Kaiba admitted. “I just run.”

“D’ya wan’ me ta teach you?”

“Eventually.” Kaiba watched Joey rep again, taking in the smell of the boy’s sweat, deodorant, and whatever pheromones that were driving him wild. But this time, it felt a little different to the pure lust they’d had before. For the first time, Kaiba wasn’t even mad about it. It was bound to happen, maybe it was just better to accept that Joey was _hot_. Anyone with a pair of working eyes could see that.

“Well, I’m gonna head to my office to have a shower,” Kaiba mused, trying to escape the situation before it became a problem, feeling the familiar stirring in the pit of his stomach.

“Of _course,_ you’d have a shower in ya office,” Joey laughed, as he got up and set his weights back on the rack, wiping the area down with his towel. “I would to if I had a bajillion dolla’s!”

“Care to join?” Kaiba asked, before he had a chance to brain filter it.

Joey frowned a little. “I thought we weren’t gonna do this again…”

Kaiba just raised his eyebrow.

“I want ya, Kaiba. But I don’t wanna complicate things, too.” Joey’s eyes were brighter than usual, though filled with concern, and cheeks were a little flush from the idea of a sexy soapy shower. “Y’know we talked about this. Then ya mix ya signals.”

“I apologise. I was out of line. You are right. I can distance myself if it reduces the temptation.”

Joey sighed. “It’s not that…it’s just _this_. Us, work, our current relationship.” Joey bit his lip in a way that made Kaiba’s knees _weak_. “We’re sneakin’ around and makin’ rules we can’t commit to. Something’s gotta give.”

“Well,” Kaiba said with poise. “We can talk about this in my office after we shower. Whether you come up now or after is up to you.”

_‘Aw, fuck it’_ Joey thought. _‘He’s practically begging.’_

“Can we talk _in_ the shower?”

“If you can talk while you’re moaning my name,” Kaiba purred.

_‘He’s not half bad at this flirting thing.’_

“Give me a moment to grab my things.”

Joey and Kaiba rode the elevator in silence, knowing they were being recorded. Although the security Kaiba hired were _professional_ , and would vow silence, neither were particularly interested in giving them a show.

As they stepped into the office, and heard the ding of the elevator door closing, Kaiba tentatively grabbed Joey’s hand, and leaned in for a kiss lighter than feathers, merely brushing the skin together. He blushed a little, realising how soft he was being, wondering why the change of heart from when they’d been in this position before.

“ _Seto_ ,” Joey hummed, barely above a whisper, without explicit permission to call him by his first name. But Kaiba didn’t mind. The pair locked eyes, and a different flame again was burning. This one was sweet, slow, but still luminescent.

Kaiba dawned on the chill of the sweat gleaming on their skin, wanting to warm up, wanting to explore the body of the other teen, carefully. He’d never felt this kind of desire before, thinking he wasn’t programmed for this… whatever _this_ is.

He brushed his fingertips along Joey’s hand, holding loosely, as he pulled him towards the bathroom. Almost as decadent as the one in the mansion, although without the bathtub. Combs, deodorants, body wash, razors adorning the shelf beside the mirror. He leaned in to flick the shower on, letting the water heat while he held his waist, placing another slow kiss, although with a lot more depth this time. Joey reached behind Kaiba, breaking the kiss only to lift the shirt above his head, and remove his own.

Shorts discarded on the floor, Seto pulled Joey into the shower, standing close as the water warmed their bodies, admiring Joey’s face as the blond hair began to stick to his forehead. Without words, Seto brushed the hair away from his eyes, and kissed him again.

Their flame burned hotter, as they began to wash each other of their sweat, soapy hands moving down the curves of their shoulder blades, the smalls of their waists, only breaking kisses to stare into each other’s’ eyes and apply more body wash. Joey the first to make a move, brushing his hands over Kaiba’s erection, making him moan softly. Taking the length in his hands, he began to work it slowly, as Kaiba pressed him against the shower wall, devouring his mouth with hungry kisses, and hands were firmly gripping Joey’s butt for stability.

Kaiba broke the kisses to kneel, quickly taking the blond’s erection in his mouth, and Joey vocally approved. Tongue darting along the slit between bobs, swirling it around the head, and along the thick vein running the length of the shaft, Joey’s eyes fluttered, and he made a noise he’d never made before - somewhere between a whimper and a moan. Kaiba grabbed his ass, as he feverously sucked, taking a soapy finger and danced it around the puckered hole.

“Ohhh my goooood” Joey moaned, and Kaiba fervently licked the dripping precum from the slit. He dipped the finger in the tight chasm, and Joey cried out in lust. “Please, I’m so close…” he moaned, and Kaiba felt his own erection throbbing, waiting to be touched.

Kaiba looked up, as he continued, making eye contact with Joey. Brunette hair clinging to his face, fire in his eyes, the way his cheeks dipped in as he sucked on the way back up…the sight was enough to push Joey over the edge. His cock twitched, as it spurted the warm seed in Kaiba’s mouth, who dutifully swallowed and licked it clean.

Joey pulled Kaiba back up, kissing deeply, tasting his semen on the tongue of the other man who _desperately_ needed attention. Pushing him against the wall, he began a trail of kisses and light nips along his collar bone, sucking at the nape of his neck, before heading further south. Kaiba’s breathing laboured, so close to orgasm before the main event had even started.

Joey took his time with featherlight kisses on the tip of the weeping cock, though quickly wanted to taste the whole seed, remembering how good it tasted last time. He took the length quickly in his mouth, hand squeezing around the base, and hummed lightly, which was enough to finish Kaiba rapidly. The cum hit Joey in the back of the throat, and he drunk it like it was the sweetest liquid on earth, until he felt Kaiba’s erection soften.

The pair looked bashfully at each other, neither wanting to break the silence, wanting to revel in the post-orgasm magic. Water hitting their backs, glass fogged up, cheeks flush, a thousand lines crossed.

And, for a moment, neither of them had any regrets. This was where they both wanted, _needed,_ to be.

Seto was the one to break the silence, gently tipping Joey’s chin up, “we should dry off.”

“Oh, yeah,” Joey muttered, completely taken by the afterglow. He followed Seto out of the shower, and grabbed the towel Seto threw at him, drying his poufy blond mane first, working his way down his body, realising Seto was still watching him with a keen eye. “What?”

Seto blushed, realising he’d been caught staring a little too much. “Oh, I…like what I see. Gone shy now have you?” He began to get halfway dressed, into his “get shit done” leather pants and boots, oh how they were beginning to be Joey’s Kryptonite… and a standard black, tight shirt.

Joey did his work pants up, and half buttoned up his work shirt too, and Kaiba’s eyes danced around the exposed collarbone, wanting to get better acquainted sometime.

The two left the bathroom, still a little coy from the way they’d been so primal but gentle around each other. Seto took to the couch in his office that overlooked the city lights and motioned for Joey to join him.

“So, about that talk,” Seto broke the silence.

“Wow, never thought I’d actually get ya ta commit to it but. Yeah, so. I think it’s obvious that I like ya, Kaiba.” Joey’s cheeks redder than earlier. Sexual chemistry was embarrassing, especially after sex, but not as embarrassing as being stripped emotionally naked.

Kaiba paused for a while, gathering his thoughts, while Joey bit his lip nervously. “A big part of me hates the way you make me feel. It feels like a weakness.”

“Is it a weakness you can accept?” Joey’s heart racing a mile a minute.

“I don’t know.”

“Do you want to _try_?” Joey softly pleaded. “We can play by your rules, your timeframe, your feelings...I think it’s okay to hate somebody, and still like them too.”

“I don’t hate you. I don’t know why our fights get so vicious anymore, or why you get under my skin, but I don’t hate you. I’ve accepted that. I’m just having trouble with what comes next.”

“We’re like this because we’re competitive.” Joey pressed his lips against Seto’s, whispering against them. “It keeps us alive. It’s a game that we’re both a part of. I don’t think I could have a relationship that was easy.”

Seto knew he’d lost. Completely.

“Look, I can’t promise you the world.” Kaiba admitted.

“I’m not askin’ for da world, even though ya could afford it. I’m askin’ for ya to be my unpredictable world.” Joey smiled softly. “I’m willin’ to tolerate ya shenanigans and all that.”

“I’m busy, I’m annoying, I’m grumpy.”

“You’re successful, you’re determined, you’re temperamental, sure, but ya shown me it can have a time and a place,” Joey reasoned.

“Why do you see the good side in me?”

Joey shrugged. “Dunno. Attraction makes ya see the good in someone.”

“I don’t know if I’m capable of this.”

Joey shook his head. “Look, ya brother looks up to you. Ya put all ya time and energy into ya job, you’re successful of your own right. You’ve turned KaibaCorp around. People like working for you, with you. You’re a little high maintenance, but I don’t see that as anything more than a man who knows what he wants. So, let yourself have something you can selfishly call just ‘yours’ for once. Give us a try man! If it doesn’t work out then we don’t have regrets and what-if’s an’ all that bullshit.”

Seto smiled wryly, knowing he didn’t really have a choice anymore. “Okay.”

“We can do this in a way that’s comfortable for ya. We don’t have to tell anyone for now. We probably shouldn’ while I’m workin’ on this project wit’ ya.”

Seto nodded.

“Look, I better get goin’ though if ya wanna you’ve got my Line, so just message me if ya lonely, kay? Otherwise, ya also know where I live. Or I’ll come over and entertain Mokuba.”

Seto took a moment to process what Joey was saying.

“Don’ worry, I won’ tell him. That’s your job. I’ll be none the wiser otherwise!”

Kaiba laughed dryly. “I just didn’t want him to win the damn bet.”

“Why not?”

“Because he’s a sore winner,” Kaiba replied, “although, he hasn’t won the bet yet, anyway.”

“What _was_ the bet?” Joey pried.

“I specifically said I wouldn’t ‘ _sleep’_ with one of my classmates. Bet’s only good for another three months.”

Joey rolled his eyes. “If ya keep this up, ya gon’ lose the bet anyway, so ya better start thinkin’ about how to approach that conversation. Anyway, night, sweet dreams, an’ all that. I’ll see ya sometime. Stop wearin’ those pants unless you wanna lose the bet quicker.” Joey leaned in for a kiss, which Kaiba passively returned.

And with that, Joey left the office.

Leaving Kaiba with an internal crisis.

Did he _want_ to lose the bet? Yes.

Did he want to keep wearing those pants to fuck with Joey’s head. _Yes_.

In fact, he wondered if he could squeeze into anything tighter.

 

-

 

The weekend air had been tense in the Kaiba household. The conversation with Joey had been continuously playing on Seto’s mind. Mokuba was a clued-up kid. He knew something was up, he’d known something was up before Seto had even decided that he was even minutely open to the idea of kissing Joey. And whatever else followed. The richest, most powerful person in the city could be twisted so by a rambunctious teenager with a heart of gold and an impish smile and it drove him insane.

Besides, Kaiba reasoned as he twisted the fabric in his fingers, Joey and him hadn’t been exactly discreet. Sneaking around his office after hours was one thing, but they’d been seen frequently together, even just words in passing, by the programming staff. Sometime in the not so distant future, a comment would be made, which would twist into a scandal not too far from the truth. Laying groundwork before scandals broke was just a smart thing to do in the business world.

It was better if it all came from him, even if the initial embarrassment kept playing on his mind.

And what a field day the media would have knowing that the mighty Kaiba had his stomach in knots as he sat at the edge of the counter seat on a Sunday afternoon waiting for the kid to get home.

“Hey bro!” Mokuba cheerfully threw his bag on the couch before dancing into the kitchen to drink juice straight from the carton. Seto scowled before Mokuba turned to face him, spitting juice over the counter island.

“Are you fucking with me?”

“One. Language. Two. Clean up your mess.”

Mokuba rolled his eyes, coughing the juice from his lungs before grabbing a cloth from under the kitchen sink. “Jesus, you’ve gotta prepare a guy for that kind of ambush. Remember how you spent ten Sundays trying to sit down with me to talk about puberty before chucking a pamphlet about erections at me?! Where’s that big brother gone now, flouting his feelings all over the place. Literally last weekend, I believe I remember you saying there was ‘not a chance’ that you’d date him. For a guy so decisive you’re really flip-flopping on this!” Mokuba swooned dramatically, dodging a swat from Seto.

“You’re going to age me.”

“But dating Joey is going to keep you a kid at heart.” Mokuba poked out his tongue. “See, I have a sixth sense for this kind of stuff. You gonna trust your little brother more often?” Mokuba pulled out his phone to take a picture of his brother in the hideous, bubblegum pink Comic Sans font shirt. Seto pulled a finger at the camera. “What? I’ve gotta have some blackmail material for when I’m sixteen and off the rails! Can’t tell me what to do anymoreeeeee!”

 

-

 

The third week of testing brought about a lot more alone time between Joey and Seto as they worked well past 7pm together every night. Working together was comforting, even when they weren’t talking.

Kaiba was mostly professional, only departing with a kiss at the end of each night, and only flirting otherwise through light brushes of their hands as they passed pens and paperwork between. So, they’d kept breaking small rules that they’d put in place? It was his company, after all, and they were alone. There weren’t cameras on when he was in the room. He could theoretically do as he pleased.

It was on the Thursday night, Kaiba brought Joey up to his office.

“I’ve been thinking about your next position in the company. I mean, obviously after sixty-nine.” Joey blushed ferociously, but Kaiba continued unphased. “People love you, you’re enigmatic. I could see you being a head promoter for Duel Monsters. Not only do you have a relative following when it comes to Duelling, it would mean you can travel with me when I head out of Domino for Duel Monsters events, product launches, things like that.”

Joey’s eyes were bigger than saucers. “Wait, what? Really? Ya making a fake job just so ya can take your boyfriend travelling?”

“It’s not like that. I’d be having this conversation regardless.” Kaiba remained stoic to the b-word that had been dropped into conversation despite neither bringing it up earlier but decided to shelf that conversation. “We’d need to work on a few things. A social media push so you can gain followers online, set you up with some training on how to handle PR. But people like you, and I can see why. It’s easy to like the ‘underdog’ if you will. Never _quite_ finishing first does have its benefits.”

Joey growled. “I’ll still beat you publicly.”

“If you do, that’s also good for your popularity. Other than the King of Games himself, there’s nobody else people would rather follow. They hardly cheer for me - they love to hate me.” He paused, watching the reaction of the blond. “I mean, if you’re comfortable with being in the public eye a bit more, right?”

“Can I…give it some thought?”

“Of course you can,” Kaiba leaned in and gave Joey a quick kiss on the lips before straightening back up and remembering he was still in work time. “Now, since you’re still on the clock, you’d better head back down before I do something HR would have a field day with.”

 

-

 

Joey had been spending the last few nights setting up his new apartment. With hardly more than an acknowledgement of his leaving, his father and him parted ways. New furniture had been ordered; especially splashing out on a nice bed considering where he used to sleep was small and uncomfortable.

He sat in front of the TV, mindlessly staring at it as it blared some ridiculous game show, contemplating the job opportunity.

PR, huh? Joey did love to talk – that was an understatement -  and especially loved Duel Monsters. The two of them would be a perfect mix.

Plus, anything to be able to spend more time with his Knight in shining Trench Coats.

A message buzzed on his phone, and he picked it up off the coffee table to see who it was.

Yugi. Thank goodness, just the person he needed to talk to.

‘ _Hey, what’s up_?’ the message read.

‘ _Nothing. You up for a call?_ ’ he typed back, and almost instantly his phone started to ring.

“Hey Yug! How are you!? How’s Osaka!?”

“Good,” the calming voice on the other end replied. “I like the city, school starts next week. How are you?”

“I’m good!”

“Still working at KaibaCorp?”

Joey paused, wondering how much to divulge. “Yeah, Yug, somehow still managed t’ keep a job. Haven’ even been late.”

The spiky haired boy chuckled down the phoneline. “Kaiba playing nice?”

“Uhhh, nice is one way t’ put it I guess.”

“Oh?” the voice was full of intrigue.

“Man, Yug, ya my best friend, and I know y’can keep a secret, right?”

“Of course, Joey. What’s bothering you?”

“Ehhh, well. Works being goin’ real well. The job has a billion benefits, free gym, free lunch, great pay, I’m in a cheap apartment but it’s fancy as heck.”

“That’s great, Joey!”

“And, um, I’m gay.”

Another chuckle. “Oh, Joey, we’ve known that for a long time.”

“Kaibakissedmeattheball.”

“Wait what?”

“Andthenhekissedmeagain. Andnowwe’redatingIthink.”

“Hooooooold up. I think I just heard my best friend say they’re dating Kaiba.”

“I uh,” the blond fumbled. “Look, you can’t say anythin’ okay.”

“I’m not going to, your secret is safe with me. Does anybody else know?”

“Not really, like I think Mokuba’s got an inkling but uh, I dunno if Kaiba’s had the talk or not yet.”

Another laugh came through the phone. “If you’re happy and he’s being nice, I don’t have any reason to say anything else about it. I’m glad things are working out for you. You deserve it more than anybody else.”

“Thanks, Yug.”

“Alright, I better be going, can’t talk too late, my dormitory has ridiculously thin walls.”

“All the better to hear all the parties and sex, eh Yugi?”

“I’d…rather not,” Joey felt the blush through the phonecall. “Goodnight, Joey.”

“Night, Yug.”

 

-

 

“So, I thought ‘bout your job offer.”

Kaiba raised his eyebrows. “Oh?”

“I think I’d lik’ t’ take ya up on the offer but I’d wanna know more ‘bout the job first.”

“Do you wanna talk about it after we’re done here?” Kaiba spun a pen in his nimble fingertips, and a small smile escaped.

“Yeh, that’d be rad.”

Kaiba looked at the time glaring on the bottom of his computer screen, which indicated that they’d done more than their fair share of work for the day.

“Well, it’s eight, why don’t we call it a night and take this to my office?”

“Oh, yeah, uh, sure.” The blond went crimson, remembering the activities of a week ago, as he finished up the sentence he was contemplating, shutting the computer down after hitting the save icon.

Tailing Seto up to his office, the blond tried to think of questions he wanted to ask, but was at a complete loss once the elevator clicked shut, and he was sitting on Kaiba’s desk, having his buttons popped open and a pair of hot lips all over his lips and collarbone.

“ _Oh_ , you’ve never been…good..at… _ohhh.._ talkin’ to me…” Joey stammered between breathy kisses and light moans.

“I’m better at talking about it afterwards,” the CEO growled, ferociously attacking the kiss-swollen lips.

The pair broke apart to continue their foreplay on the plush couch that overlooked the city; something about being naked in front of the city glow was liberating, even if it wasn’t quite voyeurism. Clothes came off; two young men becoming acquainted again after a long week of acting professional.

A while later, once heartbeats had settled, and the haze of orgasms had cleared, they both made a point of fixing their uniforms, and setting themselves back up in an almost unnaturally professional manner.

“So, this proposal?” Kaiba hummed.

“I mean, yeah, like, I think it’d be kinda cool…” Joey trailed off.

“What would you like to know about it?”

“I dunno…like, I don’ wanna be overmarketed and shit.” Kaiba motioned for the blond to keep talking. “I am who I am, I don’ wanna be censored, or have a certain image. I jus’ wanna be me.”

“Well, that’s exactly who I want to market,” Kaiba said smoothly. “If I wanted an ‘image’ I could control, you’d certainly be the last person I would ask.” Joey’s face furrowed in frustration before Seto continued. “Besides, you’re charming, I don’t like to admit it, but you’re funny and sociable. Exactly the type of person we need to appeal to the younger Duel Monsters crowd.”

Kaiba pushed a job description out in front of Joey, and continued. “Our company is run by the best in the world, but none of them really have a youthful glow, except Mokuba, who’s just too young yet. We’re not, ahem, I think they use the term ‘relatable’ if we’re rich and stuck up.”

“So, I can jus’ be me then?”

“Yes, of course. There would be the same confidentiality clauses, like now; no sharing company secrets, and the other thing would be our relationship would have to be relatively hidden, but if you have no real issues with that, then we could proceed.”

“So, what would ya want me to do?”

“Simple stuff, really. Have fun, be you. Meet fans, talk Duel Monsters, participate in tournaments, talk to kids about structuring their decks. Learn more and be on top of all the Duel Monster cards so you can give good advice, and share snapshots of your day through various Social Media platforms so your fans can follow you.”

“I mean… other than having to keep quiet about us… nothin’ about that seems bad, or hard t’ do.”

“We can go public, in a while, if the time is right. I’ve…I’ve told Mokuba.” Seto avoided Joey’s gaze, choosing to look down at his hands waiting for a reaction.

“You…?”

“I was serious about it, and it’s important to be transparent with him too. You know he has to come first, and I…”

“Can’t be a good brother if ya hiding somethin’ so major?”

Seto nodded, finally looking him in the eyes again.

Joey smiled. “Okay, I think ya convinced me. I’ll do it.”

“Okay. Here’s a contract. _Please_ read this one and realise what you’re signing before you do it this time. Platonic lawyers are at your disposal whenever you need them. If you agree, then we will meet early next week about our game plan.”

Joey’s eyes sparkled. “Thank ya for this. Well, thank ya for everythin’ really. This year’s been incredible so far.”

Kaiba smiled, kissing Joey softly on the lips. “Now, I’m going to head home and I suggest you do too. I’ll see you on Monday.”

Joey turned to leave, before turning back shyly. “Can I see you this weekend?”

“I’d love to say yes, Joey, but I’m incredibly inundated with work. If I finish early, I’ll message you, though.”

Joey smiled, and blew a kiss back towards Seto before getting into the elevator.

_‘I’m trying my best not to fall in love with you too quickly.’_ But Seto knew he was absolutely fucked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gyakutenno Megami is the card that Seto jammed in the gun during Episode 20 of the anime which is why it's not in perfect condition.
> 
> Also, sorry about the forever-hiatus. I'm exactly that fanfic writer that I vowed not to be that leaves stories for a whole calendar year or something. >.<


	12. Chapter 12

Joey’s weekend was busy enough, between consulting an inhouse lawyer about his new contract, and adding the finishing touches to his new apartment. It was strange sleeping in complete silence without being woken up at obscene hours of the morning. It was even weirder exchanging smiles in the elevator with new neighbours, some of which he recognised from KaibaCorp through passive interactions in the cafeteria.

Joey was disappointed Kaiba hadn’t found time over the weekend. He knew he was being irrational, they’d talked about it, but it still didn’t stop him from sending a few passive messages over the weekend. _How are you? I hope you’re having a good day._

Monday brought reprieve, though awkward, when Joey arrived in the lab with coffees. Espresso shots were becoming his new addiction, thanks to the clever tongue of his… _boyfriend_? The word still felt foreign, almost adolescent, but it still brought a warm crimson hue on his cheeks whenever he dwelled on the thought. They didn’t act like boyfriends. Well, they _did_ , but they _didn’t_ …

Kaiba nodded as Joey put the cup down beside him, highlighting an itinerary. Joey peered over his shoulder but couldn’t make out much more detail. “I’ll have more time for you this weekend,” Kaiba finally broke the silence as Joey settled into his chair, reading his company emails that had ticked through over the weekend.

“I’m glad. I…my weekend was borin’ without ya.” Joey muttered back.

“I’ll make it up to you.” Kaiba pushed himself away from his chair to make a phone call, itinerary in hand. Joey watched him passively as he finished up his afternoon tasks, which were mainly just typing better descriptions for bugs. They’d done a lot of work, and only two had popped up now that Mr. Tanaka and Ms. Kim had adjusted for the upgrades, but they were minor and fixable.

Kaiba settled back into his seat, drinking his coffee. “I’ve become so accustomed to working with you like this.”

“Six months ago, I swear I would have been murdered if I’d been forced to spend this much time with you.”

“When did you realise you fancied me?” Kaiba hummed, pulling out his laptop.

“I thought we weren’t meant t’ have this conversation on th’ clock?” Joey lightly jabbed Kaiba in the shoulder.

“Touché. I’ll talk to you about work-related events then. The product launch, this Friday to be specific. We need to meet later in the week to discuss details, but as it is a formal event I expect you to wear your suit, with a white shirt. I’ll organise a tie. I apologise for the formality, I know it’s not what we agreed on, but, shareholders will be there and it is invitation only.”

“Sure. Talkin’ about work related stuff,” Joey rummaged in his bag for his clearfile, handing over the contract. “Before ya get ya knickers all twisted I talked t’ one of the lawyers ya got here and he explained all this complicated bullshit. There was Kanji in there that I’d never seen before! And I passed my Japanese class thank you very much!”

Kaiba scowled. “It’s much more complicated than that, believe me. I only draft the contracts and check them at the end. Everything is a potential lawsuit.” He glanced over the contract, with the messy light blue pen initials in the corners of each page, and the scrawl covering the dotted line on the back.

“I’m yours, Kaiba. Do your worst, or whatever.”

“Don’t tempt me, Wheeler.”

 

-

 

Their week came and went, without much direct interaction. There had been many meetings with the Social Media, Marketing, and PR divisions to talk about their approach with Joey’s new role. How much autonomy he was allowed, what posts he would make, what appearances he could schedule himself versus channelling official events through the relevant people.

Kaiba was flat out, organising the final details for the release party, spending midnights stress testing all technology that would be on display and making minute changes, so he hadn’t been able to make the meetings.

Their only time alone came as they were getting ready for the demonstration – or that was his excuse. They met just after 6pm in Kaiba’s office to discuss finer details while getting ready before taking the limo together.

“Hello,” Kaiba greeted with his silky voice. “It’s been a long week.”

“I’ve missed ya a bit,” Joey replied, blushing. Kaiba was already wearing his suit – the same one from the ball, with a Blue-Eyes tie. Joey couldn’t tear his eyes away; Kaiba was a very attractive man anyway, but the way the collar skimmed his pale neck made his heart skip a beat.

Joey was already dressed in his suit, with a plain white shirt as instructed. Kaiba took a moment to step back and take it all in – the last time he’d been unable to appreciate the work that his tailor had put into making sure the suit was exactly right. The way it fitted around his slight curvature of his waist and skimmed off his hips, and how perfectly the shoulders fit while still being tight enough in the arms that people would still stare. Kaiba wouldn’t change a thing, and he knew he’d have to spend the night surrounded by business partners to keep him distracted from staring.

“Drink it all up, baby!” Joey said in jest. “I look good, ya know I look good!”

Kaiba decided not to indulge in Joey’s ego but smiled a fraction. “Have you ever tied a tie before?” he asked, grabbing a box from his desk. Joey shook his head, hair falling into his eyes. Seto leaned in, brushing the hair out of Joey’s eyes, staring into them, melting into the honeycomb, before leaving a light kiss on his plump lips. Joey softened into the strong smell of his intoxicating aftershave. “Here.” He draped the tie around Joey’s neck, standing behind him as he tied with expertise. Perfect first time. But Joey wasn’t paying attention to anything except the brushes that tickled his neck, followed by the brush of Seto’s lips just under his right earlobe. “You look amazing,” he finally growled.

And Joey melted into a puddle. “Why d’ ya tease me so, right before an event?”

“It’s just part of who I am.” Seto stepped back and cleared his throat. “We’ll spend time this weekend if you have nothing else planned.”

“Uh, yeah…” Joey breathed.

“I thought, if we can’t talk about our relationship for a while, why can’t we have a little bit of fun.” He bit his lip, as he attached little Red-Eyes cufflinks to Joey’s wrists, and Blue-Eyes to his own. “I wonder how long it will take them to talk.”

Joey crinkled his nose cutely, “Dis isn’ too obvious? I mean, ties are one thing, but coordinated outfits?”

“Nah, journalists and paparazzi are usually pretty stupid, but why not give them something to talk about. However, I want you to be mindful of how you speak to people around here. You’re doing well at work, our planning meetings went well, but you will be dealing with media tonight, and they _can_ be quite pushy. At best, you’ll know how to answer, and at worst, a simple ‘no comment’ will do the trick.”

“And the duel?”

Kaiba laughed manically. “You know exactly what they’re expecting and I’m not about to lose to a third-rate duellist with a fourth-rate deck.”

 

-

 

“I summon The Blue-Eyes White Dragon!”

“That’s funny Kaiba, you always hav’ta rely on the same cards.”

“As if you’re not about to summon your Red-Eyes.” Kaiba laughed. “Predictable. Same strategy.” The crowd was enthralled, watching the twists with awe as the pair duelled with passion in their eyes. In fleeting moments Joey felt like he was the world’s greatest actor.

“I wasn’. Buuuut since y’ want me to, I summon my Red-Eyes, in attack mode!” The stage where the duel was taking place rumbled as the mighty monster roared to life, blowing air towards Kaiba, leaving his hair just a fraction out of place. “And, I’ll play Skull Dice, which will knock your stupid Blue-Eyes down to size!” Joey crossed his fingers as the imp threw the dice on the ground.

“Your stupid gambling won’t beat my…” Kaiba begun, as the Imp landed on a perfect six.

“You were sayin’ Rich Boy!?” Joey taunted, as the Blue-Eyes fell in attack, making the Red-Eyes equal. “I’ll take dis out, and end my turn!” Both monsters fired at each other, flares of heat and wind, amongst other technology they’d worked on, impressing the crowd as Joey let his own monster murder-suicide.

“Novice luck,” Kaiba growled, as he drew his next card.

“I don’ think y’ can call me a novice when I’ve been doing this for years, Kaiba,” Joey retorted.

“Yeah, well, it’s a shame you left yourself so open for attack, with only a thousand life points left, I’ll crush you. I summon Mystic Clown in attack mode. I wish I could say it was a good game, Wheeler, shame it wasn’t a challenge. As always.”

Joey’s life points dwindled to zero, and the simulation powered down. The background was full of the cheers from the guests at the party, who were very much impressed with the new tech.

“And with that,” Kaiba said, to the cameras who were live broadcasting the match to Domino TV, “KaibaCorp is proud to announce our new tournament.”

The crowd gasped and cheered, as Kaiba launched into the details. Starting May 1st, in Domino City, with regional championships before the country finals in July. Kaiba would be travelling for each of the competitions around Japan; and once the Japanese leg was done, he’d be bringing the tour international. Europe, America, Australia.

The filming cut at the end of his announcement, to which Kaiba turned to the crowd standing beside the arena.

“And I’d like to announce one last part. As a part of our international branding, we will be launching a social media push. And I have the person who will be the centre of our campaign here, so if you’d like to step forward, Wheeler.”

Joey’s eyes lit up and he looked at Kaiba, who gave him a slight smile and nod, where he stood facing the camera. “Y’ know I’ll be there, and I’m personally challengin’ ya, Kaiba, to a final showdown!”

Kaiba laughed. “Then you’ll have to do better than today!”

“Joey Wheeler never backs down from a challenge!” raising his fist to the sky, and the crowd cheered. Kaiba knew he’d made the right decision.

 

-

 

“That was a close duel,” a journalist commented, as Joey was passing by the hors d’oeuvres.

“I would’a won,” Joey said, cramming a cracker into his mouth. “But I can’t upstage him at his own event or he’d fire me.” He laughed a little and the journalist smiled.

“Would you like to make a comment on yours and Mr. Kaiba’s rivalry?”

Joey paused for a little, and blurted out “We can’t help but wind each other up, and that’s half the fun of our rivalry. I think deep down he’s just bitter because I’m cute, funny, and modest to boot.” The crowd roared with laughter, and Seto facepalmed. Although, Joey was being received better than he could have hoped, so he had to let him have the floor.

A gorgeous lady walked up to Joey, grabbing him by his arm. “So, are you single?”

Kaiba’s ears perk up as he heard the expertly-deflected response. “Sorry, hun. I think you’re stunning, but I pitch for the other team. But I’m down for a dance if you are!” He flashed his sweetest smile at the young lass, and making brief eye contact with the blushing CEO, who turned away to gain composure before heading back off to talk boring business with a champagne flute in his right hand, and his heart trying to escape out of his chest.

Joey spent time dancing and talking with investors, taking photos with those who were also a fan of his. As the night wound down, he was spotted in the corner with his cards splayed out, talking about his strategies, and which cards were his favourites. Seto checked in just once as a group moved away to grab more drinks, tapping him on the shoulder and leaning in.

“That shirt looks very becoming on you. I’ll be coming on you soon too, I hope.” The smooth voice rumbled against his Joey’s neck and making him shiver.

“Kaiba, jeez! Those kinds of comments are okay when we’re alone!” Though, Joey blushed at the thought.

“Well, then I’ll be sure to get you alone soon.”

“Sure. D’ya wanna come over after we’re done here?”

“I’d love to.” Kaiba ran his fingers gingerly along Joey’s, snatching the half-eaten cracker out of his hand and popping it in his own mouth. “Tastes better when you’ve had your lips around it,” he muttered as he sauntered off.

Oh, so this was a _game_ was it? Joey is good at playing _games_. He took opportunity to subtly flirt back with a tart with whipped cream and a chocolate covered strawberry, catching Kaiba’s eyes as he was in the middle of a talk about the finer details of the competition. Joey ran his tongue across his lips, before licking the cream and chocolate off the strawberry, which matched the hue over Seto’s cheeks. Seto turned away from view, but not before storing the image just behind his eyelids.

 

-

 

A little after midnight the room was thinning out rapidly. Other than the caterers cleaning up, most others had moved their nights onto other events. Joey had wanted to see the evening through, surprised that talking about Duel Monsters, even in a suit, and dancing with ladies outside of his social graces could be so much fun.

“Now that all the fools have left, shall we recreate our ball night?” Kaiba slinked up to Joey like a cat asking for dinner.

“Sure. I’ll go for a smoke outside and you’ll get mad about it,” Joey joked. Kaiba scowled. “How do you drink that shit, Kaiba?” Seto was holding a rose wine in crystal in his left hand.

“The tip is, sip it slowly. Then it tastes sweeter.” Kaiba winked, as he took another sip and left the bubbles dance over his lips. “I don’t particularly enjoy the taste, but you learn to suck it up and socialise once you’ve been doing this long enough.” He placed the empty glass on the table, and fished out his mobile, syncing with the Bluetooth speakers at the front. “You can choose the music.”

Joey scrolled for a while, choosing something upbeat and poppy. He took Kaiba’s hand, dragging him to the centre of the dimly lit empty room, and turning the volume up to drown out the background ambience.

“I’ve started watching those dancing shows online. I’d love t’ dance like that.”

“I can teach you a few things.” Kaiba extended his right hand.

“I didn’t realise you danced.”

“You have to learn some things to be good at functions like this. Just like the wine drinking.” He took Joey’s hands and swayed him to the beat, until Joey found his own rhythm, and the two were smiling, having fun. Seto attempted to twirl Joey, who was a little off-balance, and caught him back in his arms on the twirl back, smiling as he dipped Joey down, planting a kiss softly on those lips.

Joey’s heart melted into a puddle as he noticed the sparkle in Seto’s eyes. He’d probably never had actual _fun_ at an event before today, even if it was just fleeting minutes.

 

-

 

The limo ride to Joey’s was relatively silent, the quiet rumble of the road nudging them towards sleep. It was well past 1am after a busy day at work, and then a busy night impressing investors. Kaiba’s feedback from the event was positive, and he was looking forward to working more with a few of the people he’d met. Joey and Seto snuggled together, closing their eyes, hands intertwined, only pulling away as they arrived back at Joey’s apartment building.

They blushed. Seto hadn’t said more than spending time this weekend, but he was spending the night. He felt raw, completely out of his comfort zone acknowledging this was the “next step” in their relationship. But a huge part of him was filled with anticipation. It was either going to work out, or not work out, and they had to figure that part out together by spending actual time together, and not just hooking up haphazardly in offices every so often.

 “T’night was fun,” Joey said, as he closed the apartment door behind him.

“It was okay. Well, better than okay.” Kaiba smiled as he looked around the lightly furnished apartment. “I like what you’ve done to the place.”

“It’s not much but it’s mine.” Joey blushed from embarrassment from the minimalistic approach; two distinct framed posters of their signature monsters were the only bright decoration in an otherwise plain apartment adorned with earthy furniture and some small plants. “Thank you again, really. This place is incredible.”

“As I said, company perks, dating the CEO, and all that.”

“Wait til the media finds out how sweet ya are under that ice-cold façade. Who coulda guessed?” Joey poked his tongue out.

“Shut it you,” Kaiba sneered, and Joey couldn’t help but laugh.

“Stop being so serious,” Joey kicked off his shoes, and pulled Kaiba inside his bedroom, where he placed loving kisses all over Seto’s angular face, carefully undressing the suit he’d so come to love.

 

-

 

 

“I’m sorry if this is a lot t’ take in, since we haven’ really been doin’ this for long, but I think I kinda might love ya,” Joey murmured as he lay nestled into Seto’s chest, in their post orgasm haze.

His heart beat faster, feeling an array of emotions at those three words. He didn’t speak for a while, and felt Joey shift his body weight to look him in the eyes.

“I’m sorry,” Joey eventually muttered, his voice trembling a little. “I don’t mean t’ come off too strong. Maybe love is too much.”

“No, I, uh…” Kaiba lost his words, as he processed what he had heard.

He was incredibly attracted to Joey. He’d even reconciled how attached he was starting to become to himself, but…saying it aloud? It seemed like an impossible thing to say. He didn’t even tell Mokuba he loved him, so how could he say that to somebody else? Actions speak louder than words, and nobody, not even Mokuba, had seen some of the glimpses of venerable Seto that Joey had. Surely Joey understood that being with Seto wasn’t going to be all rainbows and butterflies?

But Joey rolled over with a sigh, tears rolling down his face silently. All he wanted to hear back was a “thank you,” or even just an “I like you.” But Kaiba’s inability to voice how he felt tripped him up again. Why did he think anything was going to be better now that they’d put a label, even just a private one, on themselves?

“…Joey,” Seto whispered but Joey didn’t respond. “I…you can’t say I’m not trying. We’ve already come further than I thought I ever could.”

 Still, Joey kept quiet, but the words played on his mind.

“If I couldn’t just ask you to be patient with me, please? I am here because I want to be with you. I may have everything money could buy, but I couldn’t buy what we have.”

“Isn’t that what you did,” Joey huffed.

“I don’t think so,” Kaiba replied softly. “Sure, I hired you, and sure, you got a few benefits that any other employee wouldn’t get, but you don’t work for me out of pity. I would never hire anybody, not even people I cared about out of pity.” Kaiba gently reached over to stroke Joey’s cheek. “I didn’t think we’d end up like this, but we’re here now and I’m glad we are.”

“Okay.” Joey closed his eyes, finishing the conversation, and as he drifted to sleep, he heard the voice say one last thing.

“Please teach me how to be with you.” But it sounded like the voice was wavering.

 

-

 

It was the way his nose crinkled when he laughed. It was the way he bit his lip when he was shy. It was the way he was so inexperienced in Seto’s world, and Seto was inexperienced in _his_ , but somehow they could talk, and entertain each other, and it was the closest thing to a real conversation either of them got, even at work.

Seto hadn’t slept well, replaying the conversations of the nights before. In their best of moods, they’d been dancing and smiling and cuddling. And then Seto’s inability to express emotions to himself, let alone to Joey messed things up.

He always thought he’d be better off alone, he’d never spent time thinking about what kind of partner to have, or what kind of partner to be.

He wanted to be better for Joey, who was so carefree. He wasn’t judgemental, he wasn’t just there for Seto’s money. He was all the things he thought he’d never find. Maybe the things that his adopted father had convinced him he’d never deserve. After all, he was made to think that human connection was wasteful. It was hard to pull himself away from that frame of thought.

He checked his phone, conveniently plugged in beside him on the floor, and snuck out of the room to make something for breakfast.

There wasn’t a lot in the small refrigerator, but there was bacon and eggs, and that was so easy to make even he knew he wouldn’t mess it up. He made a mental note to head to the grocery store later.

Joey awoke to a faint smell wafting through his room. His stomach growled, and he found a pair of boxers on the floor to chuck on.

“Mornin’” the groggy blond greeted the brunette. “Didn’ know ya could cook.”

Kaiba turned his head, hand still on the handle of the fry pan. “Morning. This is nothing, I have had to keep Mokuba alive after all. Did you sleep well?”

“Well enough,” Joey hugged him from behind, nestling his face in Seto’s unkempt hair . “You?”

“…not really.”

Joey pouted. “Why?” He pulled his head away and rested his chin on his shoulder.

“I was…you were mad at me last night.”

Joey sighed and unwrapped his arms from the slender waist as Kaiba buttered the toast. “I…I’m sorry.”

“I should be the one apologising, you idiot,” Kaiba said, as he served the food and handed a plate to Joey.

“Are you scared?” Joey asked.

Kaiba paused for a moment. “Scared…no. I just…”

“It’s okay. We can take this at your pace.” Joey crammed the bacon into his mouth. “Dis ish good!”

Kaiba smiled. “I’m glad I can please you in other ways.”

“Stop it Kaiba,” Joey said between mouthfuls. “I’m not mad at you. I guess I’m just worried that you don’t take this as seriously as I do.”

“Of course, I do, I wouldn’t be dating you otherwise.” Kaiba finished brewing a coffee, somewhat surprised he’d found any in the apartment in the first place, finally taking his seat.

Joey smiled, and leaned over and kissed Kaiba on his cheek. “I really do like you, Kaiba. An’ you cook an awesome breakfast. I’ll keep ya around.”

Kaiba smiled. “I’m glad you’re not sick of me yet. What do you want to do today?”

Joey hummed for a minute. “I’d like to go out with you, but we’re not public yet, so…”

“We can go out of town for the day, where we won’t be recognised as easily.”

Joey shook his head. “Nah, by the sounds of things, we’ll be travelling together soon enough. Let’s just take a moment to spend the weekend at home, getting to know each other better.”

“Sure. We can play twenty questions or whatever.”

“Plenty of hours t’ fill.” A flash of mischief came across his eyes. “I know what we should start with though.”

Seto just raised his eyes.

“I know we’ve just had breakfast, but I’m still a little hungry…”


	13. Chapter 13

The first of May came quicker than they could have imagined, and the first day of the competition loomed down on them.

The pair had worked tirelessly to finesse the details; with Kaiba not playing until the world finals, Joey was the favourite to win the Domino tournament, and the company managed to get his name trending on Social Media before the competition had even started. With the attention, came certain perks to the job, along with their own disadvantages – the vast amount of companies offering him free clothing to advertise their brand; the weird propositions from fans all over the world (it wasn’t unusual for girls to send nudes and numbers, which made Joey laugh and Kaiba exasperated!)

Joey had even had his first Television interview, where he used his wit and charm to win over the audience. He wasn’t rattled with nerves, as he’d had more than enough prepping between the Social Media guru’s within KaibaCorp, but he was still a little bit apprehensive. He had been dressed in very casual wear, which Kaiba had a _slight_ issue with, but he did give Joey freedom to do as he wished; and knew he couldn’t rescind those benefits over a clothing choice. But still, Joey looked cute in a light-washed denim jacket that highlighted his American style, and Kaiba had a copy of the interview for himself, which he had played more times than he’d like to admit. There was something about the way Joey bashfully stared into the camera lens, with a light tinge of a blush, before rattling off on some tangent about following your dreams.

Joey was standing in front of Seto, 8am in his office, before they would set out to open the tournament at 11am, the Domino City leg would be lasting for a week, with ranked matches from Thursday until Saturday, where the winner would be chosen to move to the country finals. While the other of the KaibaCorp employees were filtering in, Seto was taking a moment to brief Joey on the schedule, his meet and greets, and his overall expectations. Well, that was his _excuse_ , really, he just wanted to take a moment before the storm to tell Joey he looked stunning, that he was excited for him, that his hard work had paid off, and that no matter the outcome, he’d be proud, but he’d better damn win.

 

-

 

The first three rounds were down, and Joey had won all three with breathing room, as expected. The tournament had over two hundred people apply, which was more than Kaiba had anticipated, although he was absolutely chuffed from the follow through sales of both Duel Monsters merch, and KaibaLand tickets. Round four knocked down to the ranked leader board of the top 32 which meant Joey got to officially see the players he’d be up against, noting players he recognised; amongst them was Mai, Rex, and Weevil. He was surprised to see the “old crew” duelling. Those matches would be televised nationally live. It was no different to how it’d been before, but with KaibaCorp prestige Joey was looking at losing more than just a match if he messed up his duels, or even his publicity.

Mai had asked him out for a coffee, and they’d met up to catch up over their busy schedules at a boutique coffee shop hidden down an alley. It’d been a while since they’d caught up, and Mai’s personal style had matured but her hair was as long and blonde as ever. Mai made similar comments back about Joey being happier than she’d seen him in a long time. He filled her in on edited details about how he’d moved out of home, been socialising again, and been sleeping like a log. She even commented on his opinion on coffee, “only last year I remember you telling me it was horrible poison!” He’d told her it was an acquired tasted he’d picked up through working with Kaiba during testing, although she was incredibly socially intelligent, reading between those lines as if he’d admitted to their entire relationship.

Kaiba rolled his eyes over an espresso and an email as Joey filled him in on the meeting with the busty blonde, although he wasn’t overly concerned. Mai had her head screwed on okay, making money through other Duel Monsters endorsement deals, as well as branching off into modelling. ‘It makes her better than his other friends,’ the CEO thought. At least she was driven, and she’d learned from her time during Duellist Kingdom where she thought she’d better cheat to win. But, he still banked his money on Joey absolutely showing her up in the finals of the Domino heats.

 

 

-

 

 

Joey’s name in lights sparked more than just a few reunions, with the old high school gang finally committing time to Skype together. The Time Zone differences were hard to work with, but they’d eventually scheduled it in to make it work before Yugi had school and Joey had work.

“Congrats Champ, for making the finals!” Tristan exclaimed. “I’ve been watching the duels online! Nice to see you haven’t lost your swagger.”

Joey scratched the back of his head and beamed. “Just gotta get past Mai, though I’ll smash her Harpies Ladies and be the best!”

“Your name is trending!” Tea exclaimed. “Does that make you feel strange?”

Joey blushed, as the group stared at him through the computer screen. “Nah, not weird. I don’ really check that stuff, though my team sends me reports sometime. ‘S a little embarrassing I guess that people care about what I’m wearin’, or eatin’ or whatever though.” He chuckled. “So, how’s everythin’ with you all!?”

Yugi chipped in first. “University is going well. I’m really enjoying my archaeology lecturer. It puts a lot of what we went through together in perspective. Though seeing you duel makes me miss playing in tournaments! Maybe I’ll join in a tournament if it’s during Summer break.”

“Dance School is going incredibly!” Tea sing-songed. “I have a minor part in a huge production coming up, but they want me to be an understudy too, which means learning one of the main character’s lines, just in case she’s sick!”

“Maybe you’ll just have to encourage her to be sick one night so you can get your limelight,” Joey joked.

“The easiest way to get into the limelight is to be consistent and nice to everyone you meet. That’s the real secret to showbiz.”

“Studying abroad is great!” Tristan added. “I’ve met so many hot chicks!” The group laughed along with Tristan, who had always been a flirt. “I’m sure you’re just outnumbering me on of fangirls there, Mr Popularity.”

Joey laughed. “Fangirls, and fanboys! I’ve had some things sent to work, like art and professions of love!”

“Ooh, do show us!” Tea exclaimed.

“Next time. But it does lead onto somethin’ I do wanna say…”

The group went silent, and Joey’s throat dried up, his heart beating in his ears more than it had when he’d first confessed to Kaiba he’d liked him.

“I’ve kinda been seein’ someone.”

Yugi smiled, not letting on that he knew. Tea gasped and Honda laughed. “Go on, what’s she like! Do we know her?!” he exclaimed. “Is she inflatable?”

“Shut up, Tris! You’d know about inflatable!” The group howled, while Joey contemplated how to segue into the next part. “It’s a _he_.”

“Wait, what?” Tristan’s mouth agape, as Tea smiled. “So are you…bi?”

“No,” Joey shook his head. “I’m gay.”

It almost wasn’t a shock when he saw Tristan’s connection disconnect, but Joey’s heart dropped all the same. With a few moments of silence between the group, Tea broke the tension with a sigh. “I’m sorry he’s acting like this. I mean, wow. This is good news for you. I mean…I’m sorry. I don’t know what to say. This was meant to be a nice moment for you. I’m sorry he didn’t take it well.”

Joey shook his head. “It’s okay, I did expect this. I’ve always known Tristan felt funny about it.”

Yugi cleared the looming awkwardness. “Well, I hope he is making you happy.”

“You know what, Yugi, he’s making me happier than I feel like I deserve.”

“Wait…did I miss out on something here?”

Joey laughed. “You’ve met him before. Domino’s pretty small. But, I’ll let you see if you can beat the paparazzi to it first. Anyway, I have to go! Work calls and all that.” He smiled as he logged off.

But in that moment, Joey felt so unhappy for the first time since their relationship had started, even though the support of two out of three of his closest friends meant the world, it still didn’t mean enough if somebody he’d considered his “best friend” wouldn’t give him the time of day anymore.

 

 

-

 

 

Kaiba watched coolly from the back of the crowd that had gathered for Joey’s first tournament meet-and-greet. The room was filled with mainly children wanting photos, however there were youth in the crowd wanting to ask questions about deck structuring.

Joey was bashful as he approached the front of the room, with children chanting his name and screeching in delight; he’d never expected such a turnout, and he was embarrassed, but also flattered beyond anything else.

He invited the first child to the stage, who wanted a photo and a signature on a Red-Eyes poster. Joey smiled to the camera, and Seto’s heart fluttered as he could tell Joey was having the time of his life once he’d gotten into the flow of hosting such an event. He leaned back against the wall, and allowed himself to smile a little, while the line moved steadily.

“Joey!” a young girl, maybe eight, approached the blond. “You’re my hero!”

“Oh gosh!” Joey blushed, and the girl giggled. “Why would you say somethin’ like that!”

“Because you make me believe it’s okay to be different too!” Kaiba took a deeper look at the girl, with light hair and fair skin, although she was speaking Japanese. It must be nice for children to see a Half-Japanese in the media, considering the xenophobia Japan still experienced with foreigners and mixed children, Kaiba thought to himself.

It was about halfway through the meet-and-greet a teenage girl, blushing redder than a fire-engine, approached Joey with a handmade card. Joey blushed too, as the girl struggled to stammer something.

“Sorry, I didn’ catch dat,” Joey said quietly, smiling.

“Will..you…go out with me?” the girl looked away.

Joey paused for a second. “This card is beautiful, and I’m flattered. I hate to say I’m sorry, but I can’t.” He grabbed her hand as she looked away with tears welling in her eyes. “You’re going to make a guy very happy, but it can’t be me. We have somethin’ in common, I gotta be honest with you. I like boys too.”

The girl wiped the tears away from her eyes and smiled. “Really?”

“Yup.”

A few members of the audience clapped in delight at Joey’s statement; and a teenage boy approached him, merely saying “thank you for being brave” as he got his card folder signed. Joey didn’t feel brave for being so open; more like it was just the right thing to do. No secrets.

Kaiba knew it wouldn’t come without its own share of media buzz, but he was also proud of Joey for living exactly as he needed to.

 

 

-

 

 

“Phew, long day,” Joey said, sinking into the couch of the top story of KaibaCorp.

“I’d say,” Seto mumbled, over a pile of paperwork that had been so graciously left for him to attend to.

“I’m sorry if I’ve made your life harder,” Joey murmured, and Kaiba looked at him above the paperwork, with one eyebrow raised.

“Why would you say such a thing?”

“You know, some people won’t like that I’ve come out so publicly, I guess,” Joey murmured. “I saw I’m trending online right now.”

“What’s the overall reception like?”

Joey handed his phone over to Seto, who scrolled through the mixed reactions; mostly positive, although there were some horribly homophobic comments in the mix.

“This is mostly positive.” Seto handed the phone back, matter-of-factly. “I don’t know why you think it’s a problem.”

“Yeah, but…” Joey hung his head a little.

Seto took a seat beside the blond on the couch, discarding his pile of files and bullshit. “Something on your mind?”

Joey shrugged, “I guess I just didn’t…”

“Expect people to react negatively about it?”

Joey nodded. “Like, I get that it’s not sometin’ everyone is comfortable with, but…” he shook his head. “I told my friends this mornin’. It’s kinda the reason I decided to say somethin’ today. I’m not abnormal, being gay isn’t a choice and all that but it’s not like I’ve got anythin’ to hide either.”

Seto paused for a moment before quietly prompting the discussion with a nod.

“Yugi was fine wit’ it, Tea was fine wit’ it too. But Tristan…hung up on me.” His face cracked, and for the first time in a long time, he cried. Sobbed. Tears running down his cheeks, snot dripping from his nose.

Seto was at a loss for words; what do you do or say to make a situation like that _better_? He hesitantly squeezed Joey’s shoulders as he wrapped his arm around him. Joey snuggled into the side of the man trying to soothe him, trying to catch his own tears, but failing. Seto gently wiped them away, and waited until the sobbing had subsided before getting up to hand him a tissue.

“You look out there,” Seto motioned towards the glittering lights of Domino City. “Together, this city is ours, and together, there’s nothing we can’t do. So, who cares if a few people have an issue with the way you kiss me, you’re better than them.”

“I know, but…” Joey’s voice dropped to a whisper.

“Whatever hurt you’re feeling, let me take it away,” the Seto planted a kiss on Joey’s temples, and he saw Joey smile between the misty eyes, staying cuddled on the couch until his spirits had lifted again.

 

 

-

 

 

For all the positivity he talked, Kaiba knew that he was going to, sooner or later, be asked about his opinion on a KaibaCorp employee openly talking about his sexuality. There were stupid questions, and he was usually able to deflect them, but he couldn’t consciously “no comment” a topic that was so close to him.

Of course it was saved to the end of the interview for a perfect little soundbite. And he could feel the tension in the air as the reporter cleared his throat. Kaiba clenched his fists in anticipation as the question hit the stiff air.

“Kaiba-Sama. With news breaking yesterday of Wheeler’s admission of homosexuality, will you be rescinding his job offer?”

“No.” Kaiba’s voice was pointed and direct, if not a little sprinkled of incredulous. “If you have a problem with his sexuality, there’s the door. I don’t see how it affects who he otherwise is.” Kaiba looked directly into the camera. “That’s the same with all of you.”

“Do you not think it will affect the way the public sees your business?”

Kaiba looked the journalist dead in the eyes, and his voice lowered to a stern hiss. “Let me get a few things clear. If you were worried about using products from a business with LGBT staff, you wouldn’t be watching this interview at home. Somebody who is homophobic is somebody I will not do business with.” The reporter lowered his eyes but Kaiba barraged on. “Some guys like guys, and that doesn’t affect the quality of products KaibaCorp makes, nor the ability to duel. I know Joey’s job role, and there is nothing forbidding talking about sexuality on an open platform. If he wishes, and feels like it is appropriate, then he can be a positive role model for children and adults alike in whatever way he feels fit. He’s a fantastic employee; I don’t need to waste my time explaining this further.”

And with that, he flicked his coat and stormed out of the crowd, angrier than he’d ever been.

 

 

-

 

 

“Seto, I think you have a problem.”

Kaiba looked up to the concerned stare of Mokuba, who was darting his eyes over his computer screen.

“Yes?”

Mokuba merely but turned his computer around to the tabloids; which were leading with the story “Seto Kaiba: Out of the closet?”

“Oh, for the love of…” Seto mumbled, as he skimmed the articles, which had taken his tirade out of context. Debating whether he do anything about it or not, he sent off an email to his media team, who would get right on making sure the right people were fired, and fast. Regardless of them being independent journalists, there are some things you don’t mess with, and Seto Kaiba was one of those. Slander is slander, no matter the truth.

“You know, big bro, this isn’t affecting your share prices.”

“It’s the principle of the matter,” Seto said coolly. “Making a joke out of rainbow issues is something I do not tolerate. Japan needs people in power to stick up for the general population and this is something I, obviously, have time for.”

Mokuba nodded, understanding why his brother was justifiably angry. “Maybe you should be honest then, too. Then they have nothing to report on.”

“Maybe…” Kaiba mused, as he looked at the gaudy font. The word “gay” never looking so unappealing.

 

 

-

 

 

Kaiba was secretly glad the week was coming to an end and had been standing on the side line watching the Domino City Finallist duel between Joey and Mai. Both duellists were duelling well, and at any point it could have been either duellists’ victory. Kaiba was momentarily nervous, although he knew Joey would have been more so, when Mai knocked his lifepoints under 2000. The duel was both entertaining, with bold strategies and natural chemistry.

“And the winner is JOEY WHEELER!” the MC boomed, as the life points of an up and coming duellist dwindled to zero. The crowd cheered, and Joey stepped back, staring at his remaining 900 points in utter disbelief. A mic shoved into his face as he stumbled to form a coherent sentence. He was finally a champion. Sure, a _regional_ champion, but a champion nonetheless. Mai bowed and applauded him. “Good job kid!” she shouted across the stage.

“Oh, uh!” Joey scratched the back of his head, watching the crowd react to the great news. “Thank ya, Mai, for a great duel. It was an honour getting’ t’ duel with ya again! And thank you all for ya support! I guess dis means I’m headed to th’ Japan finals!” He wrapped his fingers through the lanyard hanging around his neck with his duel timetable, which was brandished with Red-Eyes, playing with it from nerves and disbelief.

Kaiba felt exhilarated, watching the first tournament in a long time that was fun, with almost no drama. He wasn’t even duelling but he felt like he was the one standing up there.

Seto couldn’t help but beam as he watched Joey laugh and scratch the back of his head, both proud of Joey, and proud of himself for making such a good choice in hiring him and trusting his intuition. Proud of his _boyfriend_ who had worked so hard to get the technology ready alongside him, had listened to feedback from his marketing teams, had encouraged kids to get involved with duelling and interested in applying for Duel Academy.

With the sun beaming through those blond locks, his eyes glistening from being so happy, and a blush across those fair cheeks as fans cheered loudly for a long time, holding Red Eyes posters in the crowd and chanting his name.

Swoon.

To wrap up the first leg of his own competition, he strode over to the blond, flicking his coat behind him.

“Congratulations,” he merely said, placing the medal in the hands of the blond. They held eye contact for a moment longer than they knew they should have, and the crowd went silent in anticipation for the words that should follow.

Kaiba wasn’t an impulsive man, but everything he knew about himself jumped out the window whenever he was around that man.

So, he kissed Joey, while he held his middle finger to the reporters who had run the story on him the day before, in front of the crowd of thousands.


	14. Chapter 14

“That’s _not_ what I meant when I said to be honest with the media, you idiot!” Mokuba’s voice was shrill down the phone, and Kaiba grimaced. Mokuba was the only person in the world who could make him feel guilty about his impulsivity.

“I know,” Kaiba admitted, while leaning against the wall, mere minutes after the kiss that Kaiba knew was going to turn his world upside down. Gay and Dating. Two bombshells in one. Joey was swept up in post-win interviews and Kaiba had given him no time to prepare. He had hardly a minute to prepare for his next media appearance too but had excused himself to be lectured by Mokuba. By excused himself, he meant stormed off and an assistant in PR had delayed the broadcast.

“You know what you’ve done, have a _great_ week,” Mokuba chided. “Enjoy those press conferences, enjoy explaining yourself.”

“Yes, Mokuba, I know.” There was something about being told off by your younger teenage brother. Even so, Kaiba couldn’t help but smile at the irony. He was meant to be having the ‘bad behaviours’ talks.

“I swear, Joey might be good for you, but don’t go losing yourself over him like this again. Although, it is kinda funny. The clip of you pulling the fingers, kissing Joey, and then pulling him off stage has gone viral.”

“Oh, jeez,” Kaiba muttered. “How many views?”

“Last I checked you were already over two million. I’ll leave you to a _great_ _weekend_ ,” Mokuba stated sarcastically. “But, I am here if you need me for anything,” he added softly.

 

 

-

 

 

There was one perk about being “public” with their relationship, and that was that they could go out together, despite getting ridiculously side-eyed. Seto was sure there wasn’t a person in Domino City that hadn’t seen their PDA, but he also didn’t really _care_. He knew he’d have to care on Monday, come board meetings and whatever, so he gave himself the weekend to reprieve before the impending demanding to explain himself.

Of course, the first time they attempted to go outside together, who do they run into other than Tristan, who was back in town for god-knows-what reason. Joey hadn’t known he was back, and probably for the best, considering the way Tristan had hung up on Joey, and refused to answer any calls or messages since.

“Tristan !” Joey exclaimed, running up to him. Kaiba merely facepalmed at Joey’s eagerness to see the idiot who had all but given up their friendship without batting his eyes, but that’s something Kaiba didn’t understand – friendship like this. So, he kept his mouth shut while Joey chased after a false promise.

“Oh, hi.” The brunette’s acknowledgement was sharp and definitive. Kaiba briskly walked up to join his boyfriend as support, getting a disgusted look by the ex-friend.

“Listen Tris, I wanted to talk to ya.”

“I don’t have anything to say.”

Kaiba merely glared at the idiot, but he knew he couldn’t say anything until Joey had his time.

“Why do ya gotta be like this?”

“Me!? Gotta be like “this?!” Fuck you man, we’ve shared beds together. I never knew you were getting off on it!” Tristan’s face was twisted and evil.

Kaiba laughed, and Joey looked down at his feet. “Don’t flatter yourself, you fucking imbecile. That’s not how sexuality works.”

“Yeah, Kaiba’s right,” Joey said. “D’ya find every girl attractive?”

“Well, no, but…”

“I didn’ find ya attractive, you idiot. Just like you hav’ a type, I hav’ a type. Apparently a specific one.”

“There’s something unnatural about fucking another man in the ass,” Tristan spat back.

Joey went to reply, but Kaiba stopped him. “Listen here, you uneducated idiot. I’m sure you have no problem with anal sex if it’s a chick receiving, and I sure as hell bet you watch lesbian porn. Your real issue here isn’t that Joey’s “gay” it’s that you have an issue with a man being the “submissive” one in the relationship. Newsflash sunshine, not all relationships are about being tops and bottoms. The only reason you’d look down on a man being “submissive” comes down to the fact that you’re inherently sexist. You feel it’s “wrong” for a man to sleep with another man like a woman, because only women should be on the “bottom” which says more about you and the way you think about women, than anything else.”

Seto grabbed Joey’s hand, and pulled him away from Tristan, gobsmacked, who had had his proverbial ass handed to him. “You don’t need people like that in your life.”

“Yeah, I know…” Joey trailed off, wishing things could be different while simultaneously being impressed at the verbal smackdown. Kaiba was good with words, a cunning linguist if you will.

“He’ll either come around or he won’t,” Seto stated plainly. “Don’t worry about it. It’s his problem, not yours. If I worried about what everybody thought about me all the time I’d be a hikikomori.”

 

 

-

 

 

Unfortunately for Joey, Tristan wasn’t the only person in his direct circles that had an issue with his sexuality. It had been a good month since he’d had any contact from his father, so when the name came flashing up on the screen, Joey froze for a second before swiping ‘answer.’

“I didn’t know I had a fag for a son.” The words were filled with hatred, and rang around in Joey’s ears, as he held the phone, without saying a word; shaking with anger, fists clenched white. It took a moment for Joey to collect his nerves.

“You know what Dad? Fuck you. Don’t contact me. I tolerated your shit for so long, I hope the bottle treats you well until you fuckin’ kill yourself from it because that’s all you deserve. You’re the fuckin’ reason mother won’t talk to me, I hardly get to see Serenity. Because you’re the fuck up. But no, you’re so fuckin’ high and mighty because I happen to like cock?” The words swirled around his mouth like a bitter taste, but he felt a huge weight lift off his shoulders as he pressed the “end call” button and threw his phone onto his bedside table, and fell into the plush bed, sighing in exhaustion.

“You okay?” the voice soothed from the doorway.

“Yeh,” Joey nodded. “That’s just one less person on the Christmas Card list.” The response was shaky, and Seto sat down on the bed beside Joey, stroking his cheek as the blond tried to fight the tears.

 

-

 

 

Despite the negativity from the two-aforementioned people, Seto and Joey had a nice day off that Sunday, waking up in each other’s arms, lazing in bed cuddling for a few hours, watching movies, playing games.

“You know, other than the crazy you put me through, I really enjoy our time together.”

“The crazy I put you through!?” Joey exclaimed, shoving Kaiba’s shoulder lightly. “You’re the one who kissed me in front of thousands of people!”

“What can I say, you make me do crazy things…” Seto swooned dramatically.

Joey scrunched his nose up. “Well, just in case we get caught in another position where we have to kiss in public, wanna practise?”

“Gladly.” Joey straddled Seto’s lap, wrapping his fingers through the neat brown hair, tilting his head to kiss the supple lips.

 

 

-

 

 

For Joey, Monday brought about press conferences galore. Interviews about winning, future tours, country finals.

“Congratulations Joey Wheeler for being the first Nationals Finalist in the tournament. How does it feel?”

Joey stared shell-shocked into the camera pointed at him. “Ah! It feels pretty good, yeah! I’ve been workin’ hard and been practising heaps but ya know I was sweatin’ for a while there too! Mai is a great friend of mine and a great opponent.

“What advice do you give to the rest of the Regional competitors in the following competitions?”

Joey thought for a moment. “Number One! Stay true to the type of duellist you are. If you wanna have a deck that’s unique and weird, do it. Number Two! Be prepared for the worst luck and have a backup strategy, always. Know your cards, watch duels of your opponents online. Number Three! Have fun. If you’re not havin’ fun nobody’s gonna tune in to your duel. It’s like sports, if you don’t love it then people are gonna know about it.”

 

“What are your comments on your relationship with Mr Kaiba?”

Joey had given it a lot of thought, and the pair had talked about it over the weekend, knowing they’d have to rectify the fallout, but in the moment on Friday night, his answers had seized up, so Joey did what he did best, and that was ramble. He was a little more composed but still nervous though because it was more than just his feelings. Kaiba certainly had a lot more to lose than him.

“Look, alright, I didn’ expect him t’ kiss me on stage, and I wish he hadn’ because this is all too much t’ deal with in such a short amount o’ time. But if you’re askin’ about the nature of our relationship, it’s never been inappropriate. I approached him first, before we worked together. He turned me down, Mokuba hired me. Not Set-Kaiba. He hated the idea of working with me, vocally. But then we started workin’ on the holographic tech together, and he came to tolerate me, and whoops now here we are and it’s pretty nice.”

There was a murmur in the crowd. “How long have you two been dating?”

“Uhh, I don’t really know.” Joey shrugged. “I didn’t expect t’ have that happen on stage either. It just kinda happened, y’know. But I like him and wan’ it to work out.”

“How do you think you would handle going up against Kaiba himself in the national finals considering what we witnessed up on stage?”

Joey locked eyes with the interviewer. “So, I’m not really good at this filtering my feelings stuff. So, you might as well have it all. I think I kinda liked Kaiba way back when, and I still came in fourth to him. I still put up a fight. He’s the statistical favourite to win his own damn competition but Joey Wheeler never backs down from the challenge. I wouldn’ go easy on Yugi if he was competin’ and I won’t go easy on Kaiba. I wouldn’t lose just for his reputation. He made a choice too. Joey blushed. He couldn’t stop blushing as he stammered for a moment. “Ah, well, uh! I’m not good at keepin’ this kind of stuff secret I guess so I might as well tell you that we were already together when the last duel of us at th’ demonstration happened. So, I think we’ll be fine. I tried to beat him then and didn’t. But now I know the new cards in his deck so he better just watch out!”

 

-

 

 

On the other side of the city, Seto Kaiba was sitting in a boardroom with Mokuba by his side, surrounded by his Chairmen, with an email in front of him that was threatening to take him to the media.

The claim came from an anonymous woman, who had “worked” with Kaiba, so they claimed, and they were claiming to be pregnant with his child. It wasn’t the first time Kaiba had been caught in a “scandal” like this, however it was incredibly shit timing considering. What a fucking setup and Kaiba had narrowed down the likely source but his hands were tied to pursue further without evidence. He was inevitably sick of dealing with Chairmen who thought they knew better than him.

“Well, the great Seto Kaiba has fallen to the pressures of high-business scandal. Do you think you’re unfit to be the CEO, what, with tripping up in the very basics of keeping your image clean?”

“What makes you think that?” the tone was sharp and frosty.

“Firstly, this.” The burly man motioned towards the letter on the table. “Secondly, sleeping with an employee. I never thought I’d see the day.”

“You’re all fucking idiots if you believe any of this nonsense.” Seto growled.

“You kissed an employee on stage. I think that’s pretty damning evidence that there’s a conflict of interest.”

“I did not hire Wheeler.”

“Seto’s right,” Mokuba chimed in. “I hired Joey. Seto had no say. Seto and Joey had kisses before they were working together.” Everyone stared at the thirteen-year-old Vice President. “What, it’s true. Don’t give me that look, Seto.”

“Secondly,” Kaiba interjected. “I do not and will not make it a habit. I am, for all intents and purposes, gay. I have never slept with a woman. There is no way I’m letting some wench try and say otherwise; I have no mystery kids scattered around the world, and no other scandals to come to light. The extent of it is that I am gay and in a relationship.”

The group looked unimpressed until Kaiba produced a document from his folders.

“I’m not stupid, I had a vasectomy the minute I turned eighteen, you dimwits.” Mokuba looked incredulously at Seto, who was nonplussed by the reactions of the group. “I don’t believe I need a biological family. If I ever wanted children, I’d adopt. It’s not a hard concept to grasp. So, from now on, I trust that you’ll have my back on this kind of issue before I find out exactly who planted this false accusation.” With that, Kaiba grabbed his briefcase, and made his classic exit out of the room, swishing his coat as he left.

 

 

-

 

 

Kaiba had scheduled a press conference for 3pm, to clear up all these goddamn rumours. As to be expected, the hottest topic of the day wasn’t Joey and Seto’s kiss, it was the anonymous letter claiming Kaiba had a love-child.

“This is utterly ridiculous,” an eerily calm Kaiba responded. “I can assure you I have never had sex with a woman, and there is no way in hell I could be the father to any goddamn child. To suggest so is slander, and I will be taking these allegations seriously. I am gay. I must apologise to Joey again for throwing the details of our relationship into the public eye again without his consent, but I have only ever had any kind of relationship, both emotional and physical with Wheeler. In that case, I must ask why you think our relationship is any different to any normal couple who do business together?”

“It’s a conflict of interest. If you were a married couple, it would be different. But as it goes, there is a power imbalance between somebody who is wanting to make a life for themselves, and somebody who has the power to give and take that life as they please.”

“If it were a ‘conflict of interest,’ I would be conducting myself in a completely different manner I’m merely making smart business decisions, and it happens to be with somebody who I found attractive. You cannot deny Joey’s magnetism, and it would have been possible that we would have ended up here, regardless, with him being in my company’s social spotlight. In fact, these events have made me more sure, with the way he has conducted himself, and stayed true to the person he is. As for your argument that it would be okay for a married couple to act this way, I consider Joey a serious enough partner in every aspect that I otherwise make decisions around my business and his wellbeing conjointly. I haven’t, and wouldn’t, force him to do anything he’s uncomfortable with and I would never put myself in a position where there may be a breach of integrity. We have spent countless hours having detailed discussions on how we both wish to approach this from now onwards. Now, any more questions?” The room shook their heads. “I thought as much. Now stop wasting my time.”

 

 

-

 

 

“I knew you were great,” Joey exclaimed, “but I didn’t realise how suave you could be, even in stressful situations.”

“This, stressful?” Kaiba laughed wryly. “The only thing stressful about this is the time it takes away from planning my next tournament, from planning the new KaibaLand, from spending time with Mokuba.” Kaiba’s face was unmoving, like he was still in interview mode.

“Man, are you alright?” Joey asked, catching nothing but ice in the blue eyes.

“This week has been enough, and it is only Monday, so I relieve you of your duties tomorrow. Stay at home, get some rest.” Kaiba had meant for the statement to come off as helpful, but his tone after the interview was cold and direct.

Joey blinked. “Are you mad at me?”

Kaiba shook his head. “Quite the opposite.”

“Then why are you being a frigid bastard suddenly?”

“You’re expecting me to switch from work-Kaiba to home-Kaiba like I can just press a button?” Kaiba quizzed, mildly annoyed at the sudden neediness. “Look, I need to decompress. You go have a fucking scandal about fathering a child that you certainly did not, and have your board of directors try and say you’re not fit to run a company when you know it would run smoother without their interference and then get back to me about being in a good mood.

“Jeez, fine. Whatever. I’m going home. Hopefully you’ll get some rest and stop being a Grumpasaurus Rex tomorrow.” Joey strode off, half hurt, half fuming at his idiot boyfriend.

 

 

-

 

 

Kaiba was worried about Joey’s resolve; would he be able to handle Kaiba’s lack of attention around company deadlines, now that they weren’t working in each other’s pockets? Would he be able to recognise that Kaiba wasn’t in a pissy with _him_ after somewhat stressful days? And that Kaiba simply didn’t have time to be chasing after hurt feelings when he had twenty more emails stacking up each minute that demanded attention too.

The pair were too stubborn to apologise for being wrong, because they had both been wrong. But the other party had been _more_ wrong, right?

After a day of not talking; no texting, no calls – Joey decided to get off the couch, and march on over to the Kaiba Mansion, where he was sure Kaiba would be sulking in his study.

Surprised he could get in so easily, he marched on up the stairs to the familiar house, bypassing Mokuba’s inquisitive look, pushing the door to the study open, finding Kaiba piled behind a stack of paperwork and a glowing screen.

Kaiba looked up, peering over his reading glasses. “What are you doing here?”

“Well, fuckin’ hello to you too,” Joey growled. “You could have started off with a hey, I missed you, or even gotten off your ass to give me a kiss you know.”

“I can’t do those things if you’re yelling at me,” Kaiba said, finally rising from his chair.

“I’m tryin’ to love you, man. You make it difficult when sometimes I’m all ya want, and sometimes ya don’t wanna talk to me!”

“Babe,” Kaiba said softly. “I’m not trying to give you mixed signals.”

“Then talk ta me.”

Seto shook his head before attempting. “It’s not you, it’s the way I am. I come from a train of thought that never disembarks, even during sleep. I _hardly_ even sleep. For you to come into my life and shake it up, it’s not something I’m used to, nor do I know how to process it.”

“You’re such a dummy,” Joey said softly. “I’m not askin’ ya to change, I’m merely askin’ ya to communicate with me.”

“Communicate with you?” Kaiba asked dryly. “You’re the one who barged into my study, without warning.”

“You’re the one dating me, you know I’m like this too! I’m Joey Wheeler and I do what I want.”

The pair stared into each other’s eyes before Joey came over with a fit of laughter, which made Seto smile for the first time all day.

“Jeez, we’re impossible, aren’t we,” Joey said.

“I believe so,” Kaiba replied, still smiling.

“Well, I’m hungry, and knowing you, you haven’t eaten since breakfast, so I’m rescuing you from this paperwork hell, and taking you out for dinner.” Before Seto had a chance to respond, Joey had grabbed his hand, and dragged him down the flight of stairs, down the road to a niche Ramen shop.


	15. Chapter 15

“I bet you’ve never baked a cake before!”

“I’ve never needed to.” Seto was leaning on the counter in Joey’s kitchen on a Sunday afternoon, hands resting on the edge as he watched the blonde get ingredients out onto the bench, and flicking the oven on.

“Come on, it’s fun. It’s nice to eat something you’ve made with your own hands.”

“I wouldn’t know where to start.”

“I’ll teach you!” Joey brought up the recipe on his tablet. “You were good during Science class, well, you were good at every class, but anyway, think of it as kitchen science!” he lay out the colourful measuring cups, a few bowls, and the ingredients on the countertop. “First, the recipe says to measure out the flour, and baking powder. For the best results, you use a sieve to make the flour all fluffy.”

Seto watched Joey measure out the ingredients, noting his carefree attitude for exactitudes, or rather, his lack of them.

“Next we want to add sugar,” the blonde mused, looking at the recipe. Seto instinctively reached for the labelled box, grabbing a measuring cup, being a lot more precise in everything he does than the blonde. “And I’ll put in the baking powder.”

Seto looked at the recipe, and cracked the two eggs into a separate bowl, as it asked for, whisking them and adding the cooking oil while Joey finished mixing the dry ingredients.

“Now, put the wet stuff in the dry stuff, and we mix it all together,” Joey explained.

“Wet stuff into the dry stuff?” Seto asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Y’know what I mean.”

“You’re not trying to poison me?” Seto asked incredulously.

“No point tryin’ to kill ya until you put me in ya will,” Joey laughed, jabbing the brunette in his ribs. “’Sides, I wanna eat this and I’d kill ya in less elaborate ways.”

“How?”

“Dunno, poison ya coffee beans or summat. Haven’t really thought about it.” Joey poured the mixture into the round tin, licking the spatula once he had used all the mixture, and waited until the light on the oven went off before opening the door and putting the mixture in. “Now, we leave it for half an hour while it bakes, and then I’ll poke it and see if it’s done.”

“What are we going to do in that time?”

“I’m gonna kick your ass at Mario Kart.”

“You mean I’m gonna kick YOUR ass in Mario Kart,” Seto sneered, as the two headed to the lounge to pick up the controllers.

“Bring it, Rich Boy.”

-

After a slight victory with Waluigi the Megalomaniac coming out on top by a shy three points, Joey got up to get his cake out of the oven.

“I’m gonna ice it now, ya wanna draw somethin’?” Joey asked.

“No.”

“Go on, ya big weirdo,” Joey handed him a piping tube. “I’m gon’ ice it blue, since ya in love with the Blue-Eyes. Then I’m gon’ draw my dragon on it.”

Seto watched as he haphazardly smeared the icing around the top, watching it drip down the sides. Once the icing had hardened a little, Joey got to work on a dragon in red and black, surprising Seto with his ability to attention to detail, when it suited.

“I used t’ ice my sisters cakes when we were younger,” Joey explained as he worked on its’ eyes. “She used t’ love all those cartoons growin’ up, so I used to make her cakes into cute monsters or her favourite characters.”

“You were also pretty good at art class,” Seto commented idly.

“How’d ya know that? Thought ya didn’t like me back then.”

Seto shrugged. “I still knew everything about you.”

“Maybe you secretly liked me all that time,” Joey teased lightly. Seto scrunched his face up, which made Joey laugh lightly. “What’s ya contribution to th’ cake?” Joey asked, using the last of the icing in his pipe to ice Seto’s nose. Seto’s eyes narrowed at the blonde, trying to keep a straight face, but faltered as Joey burst into a fit of laughter. He merely iced in a swirl pattern around the edge, paying attention to making them even.

“This is th’ difference between us,” Joey said, as he looked at the cake. “You’re so perfect, and I’m so messy.” He swiped the icing off the nose of the brunette who was no longer phased.

“Maybe I’ve begun to like having your chaos in my life,” Seto stated, as Joey cut into the face of his Red-Eyes.

“Maybe I’ve begun to like having your boring ass in my life,” Joey mocked, as he handed the brunette a cake. “I’ll take a bite too to prove it’s not poisoned.

Seto bit into the fluffy cake. Not much of a dessert man himself, but he was pleasantly surprised at the blonde’s handiwork. “Not bad, Wheeler,” he commented, and Joey took that as the highest form of flattery.

 

 

-

 

 

“Seto, you’re trending online.”

“Excuse me?” Seto was sitting at the dining table, reading emails and twirling a pen between his thumb and middle fingers. He took his glasses off to look the teenage brother in the eyes, who was eating toast with one hand, and scrolling on his phone in the other.

“You, well, you two are trending online.”

“Jesus Christ, why?” prepared for the worst, but greeted with a shrug from his raven-haired brother, with a light tinge of pink dusting his cheeks.

“It’s kinda awkward for me to say why. You might just wanna look yourself.”

“’Kinda awkward’ says the kid who litters condoms around the place to try to start relationships on behalf of me.” Kaiba stated, as he opened his web browser.

“If you’re looking for it, it’s under hashtag JouKai…” Mokuba grinned, waiting in eager anticipation for the reaction from the stern older brother.

Seto’s eyes widened, colour draining out of his pale face. As he continued to scroll, he sipped on his long black in silence until he came across an image that made him almost choke on his coffee.

“Yuuuuup,” Mokuba said, as he grabbed his school bag. “Those fans have crazy imaginations. You wish it was that big!” Grabbing his Melon bread as he dodged the flying pen, he bounced towards the door. “Have a good day!”

 

 

-

 

 

There were _dirty_ looks, and then there were the looks that Joey got when he strolled right on up to Seto’s office at work, like he owned the place.

Joey wondered if it was a little bit of jealousy, but he also didn’t care. His key card worked for every goddamn floor, and after the whirlwind of a week they’d had, he was owed such a privilege. Though they’d _agreed_ to tone down the workplace rendezvous, they were still teenagers and they’d merely promised to do their _best_. It had only been once so far.

The only person who didn’t seem to react negatively was Ms. Mizuki at reception, who merely winked as he passed by her on the way to the elevator, which made Joey blush, but he didn’t know why.

“Joey,” the voice said as he entered the office without permission, “you know we’re still at work. You can’t just barge in.” Kaiba tried to mask his surprise with a growl, but couldn’t stay mad for long at the too-handsome blonde, who radiated sunshine.

“Y’know if you’d had a meeting I wouldn’t’ve,” reasoned Joey with a cheeky grin. “But y’ wanna see me t’day so now’s good f’ me.”

“Anytime is good for you if I say so.”

“Untrue.” Joey placed his hands on the oak desk and leaned in. “I have other managers an’ other responsibilities an’ meetings.”

“Wow, you’ve learned a big word. Congratulations.” Seto rolled his eyes, and Joey saw the glint of work-Kaiba shining through. “I was going to ask for you to meet me at the end of the day.”

“Aw. Shut up.” Joey blushed a little. “I’m here now, so what did you wan’ me for?”

Seto typed a moment at his computer, before looking up. “Have you been keeping track of your social media tags and followers?”

Joey shrugged. “Not really. Isn’t that what you have a team for? I just do my thing and one of ya will tell me to stop if it’s goin’ wrong.”

Seto turned his computer to face the blonde, with his social media metrics on the screen.

“Well, this week alone, you’ve had a five-thousand percent increase in mentions.”

“What does that mean?” Joey cocked his head to the side.

Seto merely deadpanned at the blonde, unable to grasp that, yet just graduating high school, he didn’t have a concept on basic maths.

“No, I mean…like…” Joey trailed off.

“Do you _seriously_ not even look at what kind of things you’re tagged in?”

Joey shook his head, blonde locks falling into his eyes.

“Scroll down.”

Joey’s eyes widened as he took in what he was tagged in. Naturally, the kiss was number one, with the duel at number two. But as he scrolled further, countless messages of positivity for being out and proud, which made him smile, and.

And.

‘Who could have seen that coming!?’ one comment said on the picture of the kiss, which stuck out. ‘I know!? I ship it!’ another comment graced the screen. ‘#JouKai.’

“What does hashtag JouKai mean…?” Joey muttered as he scrolled through the fan comments.

“You’ve gained a following, and, _we’ve_ gained a following.”

“Seto, are you _blushing_?” Joey looked up to the rosy-cheeked man.

“There’s special places on the internet where our relationship has made an impact.” Seto clicked open a new link, bringing up a fan site that had almost but popped up overnight, with fanarts of the popular duellists, stories, and comments filled with jealousy and fans swooning.

“Oh my lord,” Joey sighed breathily at the unholiness of it all, as he stumbled upon a fanart of the two in a compromising position, with a shroud of comments placing bets on who was on top.

“I just thought I’d better be the one to make you aware, in case you start getting weird looks” Seto said, voice wavering. “Now, I have a meeting in fifteen minutes, so I’d suggest you leave.”

Joey nodded, pushing the computer back to Seto, standing up stiffly. Seto’s eyes wandered to a particularly lewd picture of the two, with Joey pushed onto a desk with a visible, _problem_ , and Seto attacking his shirt buttons with his teeth while his hand ducked under the hem of his jeans. Those fans might be riddled with dirty minds, but they’re talented…

As Joey reached for the door handle, he looked back, with a glint in his eyes. “So, I do have a question.” Seto looked up, desperate for the blonde to leave so he could quickly deal with the tightness in his pants before his meeting.

“Yes?”

“Which of us _would_ be the top?”

Seto met the eyes of the sexy blonde who had his full attention.  “Guess we’ll just have to find out,” his voice managed, before motioning his head for the blonde to leave.

He heard the door click, and got up to lock it, before returning to his computer and unzipping his pants.

 

 

-

 

 

“We might as well capitalise on our popularity,” the voice soothed, sitting back in his plush office chair.

“What d’ya mean by that?”

He sat his elbows on the desk and rested his chin on his interlaced fingers. “If we can get away with being in the public, and it be good for both of our images, then we should give people an excuse to talk.”

“Like…a date?” Joey murmured.

“Exactly.” Kaiba’s eyes sparkled like diamonds, in a way Joey hadn’t encountered before.

“An honest-to-god date?” Joey repeated.

“We should attempt to keep appearances up,” Seto reasoned, and Joey’s eyes narrowed.

“Keep up appearances?”

“Obviously, I like you, you know this. But, we might as well give them something positive to talk about, too.”

“So it’s a publicity stunt?”

Seto rolled his eyes. “No, I wouldn’t do things for a publicity stunt that involved your real and raw emotions.” He drummed his fingernails on the desk as he processed his wording. “Merely, the paparazzi, journalists, the internet in general are interested in both what you and I do, so we’d have to lay relatively low key if we wanted privacy. That kind of attention will follow you for a long time, now. Until you stop duelling. So, we might as well not care what they think, or who is looking, and attempt to date like a normal, out of the spotlight couple.”

“So, where and when?”

“Wherever you want, whenever you want.” Seto cocked his head to the side. “I figured you’d have more ideas as to what a normal date should entail.”

“You’ve never been on a _date_ before?” Joey quizzed.

“Not an actual date. I’ve taken dates to galas before, but merely as plus-ones. Not as romantic interests, merely for business.”

Joey grinned. “I’ll show ya that datin’ me is fun and worth leavin’ work early for.”

“Can I have your phone?” Seto asked, motioning for Joey to pass it over.

“Why?” he asked, yet still handed his phone over anyway.

“I’m going to add my calendar to yours, so you can see my appointments upload in real time. You can also schedule time from there, if you wish, where I won’t make plans unless an emergency comes up. Of course, I’ll have to approve them.”

“Really?” Joey asked, as Seto typed away. “That’s almost romantic of ya.”

“Almost,” Seto said, cracking a smile.

 

 

-

 

 

Seto’s afternoon meetings finalised the finishing details of other tournaments; including accommodation, location, casting calls, itineraries. The last week of May was a trip to Tokyo, the second week of June was Osaka, the fourth, Fukuoka. The second week of July brought the last leg in Sapporo, and then back to Domino for the finalist Duels in the last week of July.

During those times, as Joey wasn’t competing, he’d be doing workshops with up-and-coming duellists, helping them structure decks, giving them technique tips. His Social Team had finalised his schedule, which included a _lot_ of interviews, which made him feel a little uncomfortable. Naturally, due to their professional and romantic relationship, Seto had sat in on two of these meetings, and outlined what he would and wouldn’t allow Joey to say in regard to their private life, but of course Joey fought for control over his image as was previously agreed, and Seto backed down to a few of his demands through a few flutters of the blonde eyelashes. No explicitness, they agreed. No sharing of future plans that involved the both of them. No addresses, no paparazzi bait. 

Between interviews about upcoming tournaments, Joey always got thrown questions about his relationship, but he’d mostly avoided answering them, choosing to focus on his professional life as a duellist, and his involvement in the LGBT+ community. However, now that fans were on his side, and invested, he was willing to let the cat out of the bag on a few trade secrets. Might as well tease them, just a little, for fanservice. It’s not like their following online had died down.

“So, now that you’re open about your relationship with Mr. Kaiba, would you mind if we ask you a few questions?”

“Uhh…sure.” Joey blushed.

“Obviously, if you don’t want to answer anything, you can say no comment, and we’ll move right on,” his publicist said.

“Nah, we’ll let them fire away. I’ll let you know if I’m uncomfortable.”

“What attracts you to a man who is so serious, and business-focused, when you’re so relaxed and carefree.”

Joey thought for a moment. “I guess he complements th’ things I’m not. In so many ways we’re opposites. I’ve got a sense ‘a humour, he’s like a damn brick wall, and he’s won duellin’ competitions and I haven’ yet.” The crowd laughed along with the blonde, who continued. “But, he cares about his brother th’ way I care about my sister. When he likes somethin’ he has a fire in his eyes and it’s somethin’ you don’t see being on this side of him. Y’know the passion he has for card games? He can be like that t’ me too. It’s a strange relationship, never thought I’d live t’ tell the tale!”

“What’s the strangest thing you’ve encountered so far?”

Joey blushed, reminded of the fan art of him and Seto. “Well, I think th’ weirdest thing is people drawin’ fan art of me. And, uh, writin’ stories and stuff. That’s kinda weird.”

“Fan art?” the interviewer probed.

“Yeh. I wasn’ even aware of it until I looked through some of the stuff I’m tagged in online. Some of it is really tasteful,” Joey explained. “Then…some of it’s pretty, uh…I need an adult?” he grinned, and scratched the back of his head, causing the audience to laugh again.

“Who kissed who first?”

Joey just tapped his nose. There had to be a little privacy.

 

  
  
-

 

 

“Where are we going for our date tonight?” Seto asked Joey, who was slouched over a computer in the social media area, answering emails from fans.

“I wan’ ya to dress casual. It’s a nice day, so I thought we could go out to the beach, grab a light dinner and watch the sunset.”

“What’s the weather like?” Seto asked.

“It’s twenty-five out. It’s super warm! I can’t wait for summer.” Joey got out of his seat and met the blue eyes which stood slightly above his own. He snatched a kiss from Seto’s lips, who swatted him away. “I’ve got some promo work to do in town at one of the retail shops, so if ya wanna pick me up at, like, half six? Gives you time to go home and get out of that suit.” Joey asked. He lent in to Seto so only he could hear. “I’d undress you myself if I wasn’t prior occupied.

“I can arrange that,” Seto murmured. “Maybe you can undress me later in the evening,” he whispered back, sending shivers up the blond’s spine.

“Ooh, don’t get my hopes up, Moneybags!” Joey winked as he grabbed his satchel and bounced out the door.

 

 

-

 

 

Seto arrived at Joey’s apartment bang on six-thirty, and Joey opened the door to a marvellous sight. Dressed in tight black jeans, and smart shoes, with a navy button-down shirt, which was open just enough to see the light muscle definition of his chest.

“Damn, you look cuuute,” Joey said, as he opened the door.

“Cute?” Seto raised his eyebrow.

“Y’know. Good lookin. Delicious. Cute.” Joey blushed as he grabbed his wallet and stuffed them into his own navy jeans, wearing a loose forest green tee. “Let’s go.”

The two’s first stop was a restaurant, overlooking the sea. Joey had chosen somewhere a little classier, without being a fancy dinner with names he couldn’t pronounce. “I hope ya hungry,” he said, as he grabbed the hand of the brunette for the first time in public, and dragged him into the crowded room. The waitress greeted the pair, and Joey rattled off his booking details, and Seto was impressed at the view from the balcony the two had to themselves.

“This is nice,” Seto said, looking out to the sea where the light was shimming off the waves.

“I tried to find something that we’d both enjoy,” Joey said, smiling as he sat across from his boyfriend, who cracked a genuine smile, which filled his heart with joy.

“Any particular reason why here?”

Joey shrugged. “It’s got a nice view and who can deny the flashiness of nature? It’s not stupidly expensive, and I knew they had private balconies which might be a bit nicer since we’re popular and stuff.”

“You don’t have to worry about money,” Seto stated plainly.

“Y’know how it is,” Joey reasoned. “I’m takin’ you on a date tonight. You can pay next time.”

Seto thought about pressing back, with his platinum card burning a hole in his pocket, but took a moment to look at the earnest look in Joey’s eyes, deciding not to trample on his ego. “Deal.”

Cracking the menu open, Joey’s stomach grumbled, and Seto merely acknowledged it with a glance before opening his own menu.

 

 

-

 

 

“Next, I thought we’d go for a walk along the beach,” Joey said as he handed his card over to the waitress, who brought back the receipt, which Joey stuffed into his wallet. “I just wanna spend time with ya without distractions. We haven’t gotten to talk much recently.”

“Okay,” Seto said, still incredulous at how much Joey could eat when he put his mind to it. He’d estimate at least three quarters of the bill was Joey’s food, and couldn’t help but be somewhat amused considering the blonde’s athletic build.

Seto reached for Joey’s hand this time, holding it as they walked along the esplanade, shrouded in the setting sunlight, sun bringing out the highlights of Joey’s blonde. Seto couldn’t help but stare; Joey was rather _cute_ too, really.

Joey linked his fingers through Seto’s thin fingers, glowing inside from happiness, although still a little shy with public hand holding. Wasn’t it less than a month ago they’d agreed to be private with their love life? Oh well, he thought, taking the moment in, catching Seto watching him intently.

“Why are you staring?” Joey asked, and Seto looked away quickly.

“I wasn’t staring,” Seto said, as he looked straight ahead.

“You know, you have permission to look at me,” Joey said, smiling, as he led Seto to a park bench, pulling him down to sit by him to watch the colour of the sky change.

“I just thought you were, what did you call me, _cute_.” Seto shrugged as he sat down beside the blonde, looking out to the shimmering water.

A few minutes of silence passed as they sat just holding hands until Joey broke the silence. “Hey Seto,” Joey said, his eyes still in the sky. “I’ve really been enjoying our time together, I hope you know that.”

“As have I.” Seto suddenly felt self-conscious as he felt the words twisting around his heart.

“I don’t mind if ya can’t say it or whatever,” Joey said, “but I really do think I love ya.”

The words played in Seto’s mind as he contemplated exposing himself, knowing that he’d already fallen in love weeks ago, and he was just being an idiot at this point for having doubts.

“I think I’m falling in love with you too,” Seto whispered with crimson cheeks, fingertips tilting the head of the blonde to meet his own lips, kissing him softly under the sunset.


	16. Chapter 16

“Pack your bags honey, we’re going to Tokyo!” Joey sing-songed as he flung himself on the plush comforter of Seto’s bed.

“Why are you so excited about going to Tokyo?”

“Because other than that dumb school trip, I haven’t been since I was very young.” That ‘dumb’ school trip was a Shinkansen in and out of the city at each end of the day, filled with educational activities and no time for sightseeing. Boooring. He would have enjoyed gone to Asakusa, or even the Art Museums over learning about the Edo era.

“So?”

“I assumed we might have a night or two to explore the city between events?” Joey peered at Seto, chin resting on a pillow, watching him pack clothes into a small suitcase. “I don’t know about you, but my itinerary only has me out late on Wednesday night!”

Seto raised a brow as he folded an undershirt. “What did you have in mind?”

“I have lots I wanna see! The Skytree, Scramble Crossing, Electric Town, Food Districts. Somewhere with a good energy!”

Seto mused for a while as he rifled through his dresser. “Well, I do have business to attend to in Shibuya tomorrow afternoon, so I will indulge you once I’m done before I have to go to the arena setup.”

“Business to attend to?” Joey prompted.

Seto hesitated before stating outright. “I am buying property in Shibuya.”

“Like, a hotel?”

“A house.”

“Why?”

“Shibuya is…” Seto stopped himself before slipping details he wasn’t yet comfortable with. “Merely, it is a smart move to take the opportunity to have a Tokyo address should I need one. And with KaibaCorp’s expansions as well as my own personal interests, it’s better that I have space that’s my own.”

“Jeez, ya actin’ weird. I’m not ya husband, ya don’t need to justify every frivolous purchase!” Joey laughed, but Seto’s eyes flashed with a hint of embarrassment. “I was just tryin’ to get ya to talk.”

“Right.” Seto cleared his throat while segueing into the next conversation. “So, would you like to make an itinerary of sorts, should I, or should I get one arranged.”

Joey pondered for a moment. “Naw, we can figure it out, can’t we? A lot less romantic if you make someone else do it.”

“Romantic, huh?” Seto said, musing over such a word. “Just so you’re aware, we’ll be leaving at 11am tomorrow, so if you’d like to stay the night here, it would mean you could sleep in a little later.”

“That works for me,” Joey said, stretching out on the duvet. “I was thinkin’ I might stay for cuddles tonight anyway.”

“Cuddles?”

“An’ other things if you’d let me.” Joey poked out his tongue flirtatiously as he rose from the bed. “I’mma go back to mine and grab some stuff, and I’ll come back for dinner if that’s cool?”

“Knock yourself out,” Seto replied. “Shall I have it, say, half past six?”

Joey smiled, kissing the cheek of the distracted other as he bounced out the door. “Sounds good, babe!”

 

 

-

 

 

After dinner, the pair settled into the evening in Seto’s room; Joey sprawled on the spongy bed, scrolling through emails and things. “Another day, another fanart,” Joey mumbled, as he lay in his underwear, freshly showered, while browsing through their #JouKai tag online.

“There’s some pretty talented artists who are invested in our love life,” Seto said nonchalantly, as he sat beside Joey, against the headboard, and began scrolling through his phone.

“Well, after our public outing, which got _so_ many mentions online, a whole bunch’a stuff has popped up.”

Seto curiously propped himself beside the blonde, watching over his shoulder at the pictures and art of them, incredulous at how quickly some of these people could work considering their first proper date was only yesterday. He briefly considered given them jobs for their efficiency.

“Oh my,” Joey said, as another incredibly graphic picture of the two popped up on his screen. A picture of Seto in an office chair, reclined back with Joey’s head covering the crotch area, with just a hint of the base sticking out and a bulge in his cheek.

“I wonder who’s been watching us enough to know how much you enjoy sucking my cock,” Seto supposed, and Joey blushed at the word which still felt foreign leaving Seto’s lips.

“I wonder if they know how much you like sucking my cock too,” Joey said raising his eyebrows.

“Are there more pictures?” Seto asked curiously coquettish.

“I’m sure there are,” Joey said, with a husky breath, incredibly turned on by Seto’s sudden forwardness. As they kept scrolling, they found nothing of interest until an incredibly graphic picture graced their eyes and the pair merely stared at the screen.

Lying on a bed of silk sheets, Joey’s cock was buried in Seto’s ass, and Seto’s face was moaning as he’d come over the stomachs of the two boys, cock incredibly detailed and covered in white ribbons.

“That’s hot,” Joey said, as he felt fingers dancing at the nape of his neck.

“Do you wanna re-enact this?” Seto asked, his breath over the ear of the blonde which made him shiver.

“You wanna have sex?” he turned his head to meet the hungry eyes that were watered over with lust.

“I’ve been wanting to have sex with you for a while,” he replied smoothly. “Your blow jobs are incredible, but I’ve been wondering what the real thing feels like.”

“So have I,” Joey admitted, turning his attention completely to Seto, noticing his change in demeanour. “You have a preference?”

“No. I’d like to try both.” Seto crushed his lips against the soft lips of the blonde, “you?”

“I’d like to try both,” the blonde admitted. “I’m surprised you’re willing to let me take you.”

“I can’t always be a boring stereotype,” Seto reasoned, fingers trailing down the spine of the boy as he fixated on the picture. It had initially surprised himself that he found the thought of not being in control incredibly arousing. “Don’t we have to try things to see if we like them? I tried dating you and I like that.”

Joey’s eyes gleamed at the possibility, having only but vividly dreamed of the skinny brunette writhing around in pleasure moaning his name. “Well, you said we should re-enact this scene, so I guess I’ll do the honours…”

“Naturally.” Seto’s heart beat faster, attention shooting to his throbbing cock begging for release from those tight leather pants, mind running wild in anticipation. His fingers slowly dipped under the band of the too-tight boxers of the other, hooking the band and tearing them down, thick member pulsing as it was exposed.

“I can’t have myself be the only naked one,” Joey growled, as he fumbled with the button holding the leather together, hearing the pop as his eyes fluttered from the breath on his neck. He peeled the pants over the perfectly rounded ass, taking the time to run his hands firmly over it. “God, you look incredible.” Sultry eyes locked as he moved his attention south, taking the length in his mouth, swirling his tongue around the tip.

“Are you trying to make me blow a load down your throat before you fuck me?” the words reverberated with a sharp undertone, breath punctuating as he felt the indescribable pleasure shoot through his body in shockwaves. Maintaining eye contact, watching his penis bulge against the cheek was enough to make his body uncontrollably shudder. He’d never been _this_ aroused before; blowjobs were incredible, but his eyes were filled with white-hot lust, nerves on fire reacting to every touch, breath, sensation on his skin. If oral sex felt like this, then how could sex beat it?

“I just really like the taste of you,” Joey murmured, as he lifted his tongue off the tip. “I’ve had dreams of making you come twice; and hearing you talk dirty makes it hard for me to take my time. I just can’t wait to make you mine.”

“Please.” The word was coated in desperation and caught in Seto’s throat, as fingernails lightly scratched his back.

“You got lube?” Seto merely nodded, and reached over to the bedside table, hunting around for the small bottle, passing it to his lover.

“You know how it goes from here,” Joey murmured, as he poured the lube onto his palm, warming it up. “Are you sure you’re ready?”

“Yes.” The voice barely above a whisper.

Joey smiled, kissing the soft lips before slowly prodding the first finger in, keeping eye contact with Seto, who didn’t flinch.

“Is this okay?” He moved around a little, spreading the lube plentifully.

“It’s fine,” he replied, exhaling, trying to relax.

After a moment, he added another finger, watching the face remain unchanged, until he wiggled around, exploring the body heat.

“Have you been practising or something?” Joey asked, as he added a third finger.

“Maybe,” Seto admitted, before being overcome by the shockwave of the fingertip brushing his prostate. Without a chance to catch it, he elicited a moan.

“Fuck,” Joey whispered, cheeks flush from lust. “You’re so fucking sexy. I can’t wait to see you riding my cock.”

“Then fuck me already,” Seto begged, and Joey pulled the fingers out, coating his veiny cock with the lube.

“Okay.” He repositioned himself, before slowly prodding at the begging entrance. A swift breath of air elicited from the soft lips as Seto felt himself being taken, filled with the heat, feeling like his hips would break in two, whilst feeling complete in the strangest way. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Seto breathed shallowly, as he willed himself to relax, believing Joey wouldn’t hurt him on purpose.

“Babe, I’m going to start moving now, and if you want it slower or faster, just tell me,” Joey said, pacing himself as he tried to let the man underneath become accustomed to the experience, hips rocking in to meet each thrust slowly, moans escaping without explicit permission.

“Never took you to be so vocal.”

“Shut up.”

Swept away in the sensation in his core, he moaned again, enticing a change in pace as the tip of his cock prickled from the friction between the grinding of their hips. He truly felt like he was going to break as the blond snaked his hands around his shoulder blades, using the support to thrust hard, on the brink of losing control himself. But there was something so captivating about watching the sweat begin to bead on the forehead of the muscular top, watching him lose control over his own breathy moans, the sensation in his ass as it felt each wave of pleasure throb in his core, building to their climaxes.

In a flash, Seto’s vision went blinding-white, as his cock spasmed between the sweat-laden skin, marking the bodies of the two men, body quaking in crashing waves, holding the cock buried in his chamber prisoner as he emptied himself. As much as he tried to gasp for air, his body refused. The tightness from the clamping was enough to knock Joey over the edge, rocking erratically as he felt the river burst in the hips of the panting man, burying his nose in the nook of his neck taking in the aroma of cologne and sweat as he rode out the last convulsions.

For a moment, the pair remained unmoved, until a shift in the upper weight and a murmur broke the silence. “That was incredible,” he sighed, as his heartbeat began to slow back to normal. “You okay?”

Seto nodded once, a fire still in his eyes from being stimulated, still out of breath.

“Did you really enjoy it?” Joey asked, concerned from the lacklustre response, slowly lifting himself out of the brunette, as not to cause any pain.

“Yeah,” Seto said, mind still running from how incredible he felt. But he also needed a shower. “I’d do it again.” He sat himself up, feeling the mess dribble down his crack and onto the sheets, but in that moment, all he wanted was a hot shower. “Please excuse me. I’m rather indecent now.”

“Okay.” As he watched his other half saunter into the ensuite, Joey sighed a little, from a mixture of happiness and exhaustion. He lay back on the bed, hoping Seto had meant it when he’d said yes.

 

 

-

 

 

“Babe, I can’t sleep.”

Seto rolled over to look at the blushing man, who was watching his chest rise with every breath.

“Why not?”

Joey shrugged, and nestled into the brunette hair. “I just can’t stop thinking about you. Us.”

Seto smiled.

“You know I adore you, right?”

Seto laughed lightly. “Of course I do.”

Joey’s eyes lit up like fireworks and for the first time, Seto’s body was overcome with an incredible warmness and safety.

“You know, you’re my forever.”

“What’s come over you tonight?” Seto asked as those words hit him in his core, and Joey covered his face with the blanket, just peering out with his eyes.

“I dunno, it’s kinda silly, but I just feel like this is real now.”

“Because we had sex?”

“I guess that’s kinda part of it yeah?”

Seto reached over to brush the blond locks out of his lover’s eyes. “I don’t think it’s silly.”

“Thank you.”

“You feeling better?”

“Yeah.”

“Good.” Joey nuzzled into the shoulder of the taller teen, taking his body heat and aroma in, feeling more relaxed than he’d ever let himself feel before. He just wanted to keep holding Seto forever.

 

 

~*~

 

  
“You guys have finally had sex,” Mokuba stated point blank at the two boys holding hands in the kitchen. “And, it’s before June 30th. Maybe you need to listen to your younger, more intelligent brother more often.”

“Mokuba!” Seto exclaimed.

“Oh, shut up, Seto, I’m just teasing.” But he winked as he grabbed a Melon bread and a bottle of water. “How much is it to soundproof the walls?”

“You’re an idiot,” Seto said as Joey laughed at the tenacity of the younger Kaiba. “The house is already soundproof.”

“So, now every time I _can’t_ hear something I’ll be wondering,” Mokuba retorted, and Joey snorted again.

“You’re going to be the death of me, kid,” Seto sighed, as he facepalmed.

“Whatever, you’re going to give yourself an aneurism with all your overtime.” Mokuba threw the wrapper in the bin and took a bite of the iced bread. “At least I don’t have to worry about you marrying your job anymore, when you have a much better suited alternative.”

“Don’t think I’m stoppin’ him from working!” Joey exclaimed. “You can keep me out of dis!”

Mokuba locked eyes with his older brother. “I wonder if this will all be enough to keep the board of directors off your back.”

Seto laughed wryly. “Like I care what they think.”

Mokuba shrugged as he left the kitchen.

“What was that about?”

“Nothing.” Seto shook off the words of his brother, downing the remnants of his coffee. “Are you ready to leave? We’ve got to get to the plane at eleven.”

“Yeah,” Joey said, kissing him on the nose. “I’ll be back in a moment. Just gonna brush my teeth.”

 

 

-

 

 

After they’d finally landed, their first stop was the hotel to drop their luggage off. Seto had a Matte black Maserati meet him at the helipad, which made Joey’s eyes pop.

“You mean I get to seriously ride in this!?” he squeaked out.

“Yes, unless you’d prefer to walk.”

“Shut up, rich boy.”

Seto’s second stop was the elusive property he’d mentioned the previous day. A real estate agent met them outside the two storey standalone house, near the central park of Tokyo. It was a new build, bright and spacious.

Seto poked around the place, before pulling Joey aside, out of earshot from the agent. “Before I buy this, I’d like your opinion on it.”

Joey looked around the well sized and overpriced living space, itself being bigger than Joey’s whole apartment.

“It’s a bit borin’ but for whatevea you need it for, I’m sure it’s fine. Why d’ya care what I think anyway?”

“Because.” Apparently, that was a whole explanation in Seto’s world.

“As long as this isn’t some kinda weird surprise for me, it’s fine. Don’t need’cha buyin’ me a house before we’ve even moved in together.”

“Okay.” Seto hastily signed on the dotted line, and without further ado, was handed the set of keys there and then.

As they made their way out of the house and into the sports car, Joey piped up. “I have a question.”

“Shoot.”

“Why _that_ house?”

“I wanted a house in Shibuya or Setagaya for legal reasons.” The explanation was curt.

“Jeez, doesn’t that sound shifty.”

“I’m not doing anything…shifty.”

“Well, what kinda stuff is only legal in two wards of Tokyo?”

Seto shrugged the question off. “It doesn’t matter right now.”

“Fine.” Joey crossed his arms as he got in the comfortable car, annoyed by the lack of answers, even though he’d so said the previous day that he didn’t care. But something didn’t sit right.

“So, you wanted to do some touristy activities?” Seto looked at his watch, which was just past 3pm. “I have until about 9pm free, before I have to head on site to take care of the final details before the tournament tomorrow.”

“Working so late?” Joey whined.

“I still have plenty of time to take you places, and take you out for dinner, so don’t worry.”

“Good. Well, firstly, I’d like to head to Akihabara, and check out all the Anime and Manga shops. And then I’d like a nice dinner somewhere, you can choose since you’re takin’ me out for dinner!”

 

 

-

 

 

Hidden down the back streets of Ginza, were clean and bright restaurants, nothing like he’d encountered in Domino, but he was surprised when Seto took him to an Izakaya, tucked behind the designer branded shops. Seto momentarily swung past the named stores, ducking in, as he had ordered a new suit, and had used that as his excuse to visit.

“Trust me, this place is amazing. It’s not stuffy, it’s not fancy, it’s not expensive, it’s not cheap. I think you’ll like it.” They walked together, holding hands, but Joey felt incredibly out of place between the neon lights and expensive brand names.

“Seto, this area of town is ridiculous. I can’t afford shit when this street is lined with Gucci and Prada.”

“I’m taking you out, I’m paying. The food here is reasonably priced and has a great reputation. Stop worrying.”

“Okay.” Winding through the streets they arrived, taking a seat in a private booth after removing their shoes and putting on slippers. Seto ordering tea and snacks to start their evening with.

The pair idly chatted, while Joey gushed about the bright lights and bustling atmosphere of the city. Seto outlined his schedule for the week, and hinted at Friday to Sunday being free before they’d have to be back in Domino for Monday. Joey began to rattle off all the places he was intending to drag Seto to, in which he smiled, amused at the excited teen. Seto could admit that if he’d come alone, he’d have stayed in his hotel all night, but even he couldn’t pass up the flashy lights of supercity Tokyo.

When it came to ordering food, Joey chose the more-is-better option of a Nabe, while Seto merely inquired about the fish of the day, choosing to eat less, as was normal to him.

While Seto had excused himself to slink to the bathroom, Joey took the two minutes of freedom upon himself to search online, just what exactly was ‘legal' in just those two wards in Tokyo, eyes widening at the search results.

It can’t be.

‘Tokyo wards Shibuya and Setagaya to be first in Japan to recognise same-sex partnerships.’

No way. No fucking way.

“Oh my lord,” Joey whispered to himself, entirely aware that he could be jumping to conclusions. But his stomach was a mix of nervous, intrigued, and giddy at the possibility. Did Seto really _like_ him that much? Concluding it was a dream, he pinched himself until it hurt, and cursed under his breath realising it was indeed, real.

Returning from the bathroom, Seto noticed the blush on the tan cheeks. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” he replied, albeit too quickly.

“Sure.” Seto blinked twice, before affixing his eyes to the Sashimi in front of him, while Joey worked on the Nabe, slowly as not to burn his tongue. They continued their light conversation until they were stuffed full, before Seto drove Joey back to their hotel.

With Seto out that evening doing business, Joey had an intrinsic need to settle his nerves. He hung his head in shame, knowing the disapproving scowl that would drill into his head if he was caught, but, the pay-off for calming his nerves almost outweighed the judgement he thought he was sure to receive. He leaned back against the wall on the balcony, tip burning in his fingertips. He wasn’t sure why the thought was stressing him out so, but it was, and he felt weak as he let his cravings get the better of him. Tokyo was a different city; the Convenience Store worker never bothered carding him, possibly assuming he was foreign. So, in his pocket were a pack of Malboro Golds and a red lighter, in exchange for his dignity and five bucks.

“I thought you didn’t.” The voice cut through his train of thought.

“I’m sorry. I thought you weren’t going to be back for a while…” Joey’s voice trailed off. “Not often, I don’t around you, I know you called it disgusting.”

Seto sighed as he leaned against the wall. “I’m not judging you, I said those words to burn you. Do you not think I understand stress and vices?” For a moment, Joey noticed the heavy-set bags under his eyes. He motioned towards the other man, who looked at him with incredulous eyes. “You wanna talk about it?”

Joey shrugged, but extended the packet to his other half. “Only if ya promise to not make this a regular thing.”

“I don’t. You haven’t caught me yet, have you?”

Joey merely looked at the man with shock on his face.

“As I said, I called you disgusting because I knew it would get under your skin.” He flicked the lighter, cupping the end and sucking in to draw the flame, as if he had some semblance of knowing what he was doing. “I’d be lying to say I haven’t partaken more than once.”

Joey shook his head. “My stress is self-induced. Nothin’ worth talkin’ about.”

“It’s about the property, isn’t it?”

Joey took a large inhale, holding the smoke in and letting his head spin. “Kinda,” he replied, as the smoke mixed with his words on the exhale.

“I know you’re not stupid.” Seto replied before drawing in his first hit.

“I’d tell you off for copying this stupid habit, if you didn’t make this look so sexy,” Joey said, hoping to distract the other man.

Seto snorted, smoke pouring out his nose. “Whatever it is, just say it. You should know me better than to have a laugh at you about something that’s seriously bothering you enough to light a cigarette.”

“What are we?”

“Dating.”

“No, but, like…” he trailed off, silencing himself with the cherry tip.

“If you’re asking about that M word, I’m not trying to go too fast.” Joey’s eyes looked at the ground. “This is just one of those things; I always think five steps ahead.”

“So you don’t want to…”

“You haven’t moved in; we haven’t had that conversation. I don’t do things out of spontaneity, well, usually.” Seto ran his free hand through his hair. “It doesn’t mean I haven’t thought about it, no, and my world does move faster than yours so I have to plan accordingly. I think about every what-if.”

“Okay.”

“Does that make you more or less comfortable?”

Joey shrugged. “Both, I guess? I don’t know man, we’ve been doing this for like, three months. I’m not ready for that kind of shit, but I’m not _not_ ready for that either, and I don’t know where I’m going with this but I’m kinda glad you ain’t got a ring stashed in ya pocket.”

Seto chuckled, stomping out the cigarette.

“How sure are you about us?” Joey eventually followed.

“I’ve never told anybody I have loved them before.” Seto paused. “I have a lot to lose by being honest with you, and the world, yet I choose to be here because I think the pay-off is worth it. So yes, I’d concert that I’m pretty damn sure.”

Joey nodded before the last puff of the cigarette, suddenly feeling disgusted at himself for letting himself get so worked up.

“Come on, let’s go inside, have a shower and brush our teeth.” Seto extended his hand and Joey accepted, following his lover inside to the penthouse suite, heart feeling settled as he climbed into the sheets with the man who he loved to spend his nights with.


	17. Chapter 17

“What are you doing?”

Seto eyed Joey, who was in the middle of taking a selfie with Seto in the background, scowling with a long black in his hand. The coffee shop was bustling with the pre-work caffeine addicts; as Seto’s day was full of appointments before the Duel Monsters’ tournament kickoff at 3pm, the pair were amongst the chaos and early morning buzz. Joey was almost proud that he too was up and coherent this early in the morning.

“Babe, dis is part of my job description. You know they wan’ me to take pictures of my travels and upload em! It’s meant to be ‘A Day In The Life Of’ themed. I’m gonna caption this one ‘grumpy man is even grumpier before his third morning coffee.’

“ _This_ is only my second. Do it and I’ll dock your pay.”

Joey pouted. “Aw, but Seto, you’re the one who made our relationship public. It’s kinda fair game.” He snapped the picture of the scowling man. “’Sides. You still look hella handsome with your perfect hair. I promise not ta upload anythin’ that wouldn’t pass ya quality checks. I’ll get ya good side. Whatever.” He leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, fluttering his eyelashes innocently.

“Fine.” Seto rolled his eyes. “Do you have any plans this week other than watching the tournament?”

Joey pondered for a minute. “Well, I have an event today in Akihabara at 12pm, so I’ll be at th’ arena for kickoff at 3pm. And an event tomorrow night in Nakano after th’ semi-finals. I’m holdin’ a class on deck structuring, doing some meet and greet stuff. Tomorrow I’m a guest at a dinner for a group of LGBT youth.” Joey bit into the blueberry muffin he’d bought.

“I hope it goes well,” Seto mindlessly commented, as he turned his attention back to his phone, watching the reactions of the photo’s upload on social media.

‘Cute!’

‘#JouKai forever!’

‘Ooof, I’d hate to see Kaiba without a coffee!’

Joey snickered. “See, they all like ya enough.”

“Whatever.”

 

 

-

 

 

Joey rolled up to the Card Game store in the bustling heart of Akihabara a little before 12pm. Out on the street were cosplayers, girls dressed in maid outfits, and general otaku’s browsing through anime merchandise. The weekday vibe beat the weekend one; with fewer crowds the area buzz was more intense and less watered down, and Joey took a moment to take in the area.

“This place is so cool,” Joey muttered, as he slipped by the crowd, to meet briefly with the organiser of the event. The room was small, and a group of about twenty had gathered with their decks, and things to be signed, and Joey blushed at the thought of being a real “celebrity” with his status. He hadn’t realised the event was ticketed with a meet and greet until yesterday, while he was trawling the Duel Monster’s Forums. It made him blush, he didn’t feel like he should be treated like such a big deal. He was just Joey Wheeler, who fell into this job with luck.

He’d spent the morning planning his talk, bringing suggested deck structure guides, strengths and weaknesses charts. And in turn, he spent time with each participant, talking about his ideas on areas of opportunities, and of course, showering the crowd in bashful smiles and signature Joey humour. He ended the session with a Q and A session in front of the group.

‘Tell us about your deck structure.’

“I like my deck ‘cause it reflects who I am,” Joey explained. “I’d say I’ve managed to be pretty lucky in life, and my cards tell that story. Each time I get lucky, I feel like my deck speaks to me. But it does have its’ flaws, and I know dat too. Which is why I make sure t’ balance it out with good traps and spells. I usually run around a 20:10:10 ratio, but right now I’ve got a few more traps than spells.”

‘Can you comment on Kaiba’s deck, since you’ve duelled him lots?’

“He runs a “Power” deck,” Joey laughed as somebody shouted an innuendo from the audience. “I said deck, I’m not commentin’ on _that_ word! But to beat his deck, I’d be best t’ look for cards t’ stop him from summonin’ his Blue-Eyes. I used to have the right cards to beat him but the recent forbidden list wiped out a few of my winnin’ strategies. So I’m always lookin’ for new pulls. Seein’ some of ya setups here gave me some inspiration, so I’d like t’ thank you all for comin’!”

‘What are you going to do if you have to face Kaiba in the finals?’

Joey grinned. “I’m finally gonna beat him, and he’s jus’ gonna have to deal with it! Joey Wheeler, Japan champion. I can just see it now!” He waved his hand above his head like a rainbow and the crowd giggled.

‘Any other strategies?’

“Jus’ be myself. It does me well most of the time.” Joey winked and the crowd giggled. “If I could beat Kaiba and wipe the smirk off his gob, I’d be one happy duellist.”

 

 

-

 

 

“Excuse me,” a voice quivered as he left the shop. “I was wondering if I could get a picture with you?” Joey turned to a young teen, in a rather impressive cosplay of Kaiba; trench coat, leather pants, and slicked back hair, with a duel disk on his arm.

“Wow, that’s a sweet cosplay!” Joey exclaimed. “Of course I’ll take a picture wit’cha! What’s ya name?”

“Thanks!” the boy passed his phone to a bystander, and the two posed together for a bunch of photos. “My name is Aki. I’m so excited to meet you.”

“It’s real nice ta meet ya, Aki! I can’t believe ya got all dressed up to meet borin’ old me! Sorry, d’ya mind if I grab a pic on my phone?” Joey asked the bystander who was more than happy to snap a few more photos, passing his own cell over.

They made peace signs, silly faces, and one with Joey kissing the cheek of the blushing cosplayer. He grabbed his phone back, and flicked through the photos. “These look amazing! Do you mind if I use these online?” The cosplayer shook his head quickly, looking at the ground. “Can I grab ya username so I can tag ya in a pic?”

“Oh, uh, really?” Aki asked, and he scribbled it down on Joey’s outstretched hand.

‘Nicer than the real one!’ he captioned it, tagging the sweet boy in the picture where Joey kissed him on the cheek, knowing the fans would love it.

Aki giggled, as he saw his phone buzz with the tag. “Thank you so much!”

 

 

-

 

 

“Why do you keep calling me grumpy?”

“Hi, how’s your day?” Joey ignored the attitude. Seto merely raised his eyebrow. “Well, remember when you said if anybody asked, ya still a robot? Well, I can’t let anybody else know that’s just a façade. So, I’m doin’ my bit.” He poked his tongue out at the CEO who sighed exasperatedly. “Only I can see ya with a smile on ya face. And when ya do, you look handsome.”

“Fine.”

“What, you mad?” Joey pouted cheekily at the CEO who was obscured behind stacks of paper.

“Not mad, per say. Just making sure you’re not sick of me.”

“Neverrrr” Joey sing-songed around the room, and flopped on the bed. “When are ya gonna be done with that shit? I wanna hang out wit’cha.”

“I don’t know,” Seto sighed. “I’m snowed under with emails. I’ve been going home earlier than normal a lot more since you’ve been around. Plus, with hosting these tournaments, it takes a lot of time out of office, and I trust nobody else to handle my affairs.”

“I don’ think that’s a bad thing,” Joey stretched out on the bed. “I don’t want you t’ die from stress.”

Seto sighed, knowing Joey just didn’t quite understand. “I won’t. Once Mokuba’s older he can take on a lot more of my stress. But this is time sensitive, and it’s confidential. How about I make you a deal? I know you’re busy tomorrow night, but I’ll take you out again on Friday night, before we head home. Is that okay?”

Joey smiled. “Yeah, I get it. I just love ya and wanna be with ya all the time.”

Seto smiled as he twirled a pen in his fingertips.

“Is there anythin’ I can do to make your life easier?”

“Bring me a coffee, and then leave me to work,” Seto replied.

“Okay, I’ll go out and explore for a bit,” Joey got up out of the bed, and popped on the jug in the room. “Do you wan’ me to bring back any food?”

Seto mused for a while. “I’ll just order room service if I’m hungry. You have a nice night.”

 

 

-

 

 

It wasn’t hard to fill Joey’s hours in Tokyo with sightseeing, but he still felt alone even when he noticed people stopping him to take photos on the trains, or the general murmuring of his name in popular tourist spots.

“It’s Friday, you know what that means…” Joey whispered as he peeled himself off the bare chest as Seto slapped the alarm clock.

“What?”

“Date night!” Joey grinned.

“If all goes according to plan, the last Semi-Finals should wrap up by 7pm, and we should have from 8pm to head out for dinner.”

“I’m looking forward t’ it! What time do we kick off today?”

“The Semifinals begin at 3pm. So we’ll have to be there around 1pm to work on setup. You’ll be ghosting the MC today, since you’ll be doing his job during one of the tournaments.”

“Excuse me, what now?” Joey paused momentarily, as he hunted for a clean shirt out of his suitcase.

“It’s in your emails,” Seto replied, as he slipped into his slippers, and made his way to the bathroom, but not before stealing a chaste kiss.

Joey reached for his phone, scrolling through the piled-up emails from the previous few days. Indeed, there was an email about the Fukuoka tournament, which he hadn’t paid any attention to as it was still a month away. But as Seto spent his time preening, showering, and whatever else takes him half an hour, Joey lay on the bed and absorbed the information.

“Are you sure I can do dis?” Joey asked, as Seto emerged from the bathroom with a towel wrapped loosely around his hips.

“What, MC?” He opened the closet and picked out a light grey suit. “I have no doubts.”

“I do.”

Seto rolled his eyes as he slipped into the crisp light-blue shirt. “If I had any doubts, you idiot, I wouldn’t have approved such details. But, the MC of Fukuoka had to pull out for whatever inane reason, and I don’t see any reason why you can’t announce, and show your charm to the world the way you normally do.”

“It just seems like a lotta hard work,” Joey whined. “Plus, ya want me to use honorific language!”

“If you complain, I’ll give you the boring jobs. Like, you can stay at home rather than come with me, and spend your free days entering data.”

“No way!” Joey bunched up his face. “I’ll do it. I jus’ wasn’t expectin’ that kind of responsibility.”

Seto merely smirked as the blonde sauntered into the bathroom with a broken ego.

 

 

-

 

 

Joey had hardly found a moment to breathe while running around, ghosting the MC, helping set up the tournament, and learning how to work a microphone. Within a flash, 7pm had rolled around, the final guests were leaving the arena, and Joey had realised he was not only hungry, but he hadn’t seen Seto since the beginning of the day.

He finally found him pacing while on his cellphone, and he could tell the man was fed up. Curse words popped out harshly from his otherwise inaudible murmur. Joey made eye contact, and the face softened briefly, but Seto shook his head before muttering something back into the phone. Joey took that as a hint to leave him be, and his heart fell as he left the room to hang out in the lobby.

The minutes that passed felt like years, eating into their date night, and if Seto was in a bad mood, Joey didn’t want to make him go out.

“Sorry,” Seto merely said, as he found the blonde, playing games on his own phone.

“Don’t apologise,” Joey rose to meet the icy eyes. “You okay?” He leaned in for a kiss.

“Yeah, sorry. I’ll be fine.”

“Wanna talk about it?” Joey asked, as he laced his fingers through the others’.

“No. I’d rather forget about it and spend the night with you.”

“Well, do you want to head back to the hotel and get changed and take a moment before we go out?”

“That sounds good.” The two hopped in a limousine that was waiting out front. Though silent, Joey saw the brunette begin to relax.

“It was about the KaibaLand expansion,” Seto finally said. “Businessmen treat me like a child and talk down to me, and it gets frustrating. You think I’d be used to brushing it off but this is my brainchild more than Duel Monsters ever was.”

“Don’ worry about what they think,” Joey reasoned. “And don’t argue with idiots. They’ll beat ya with experience!”

“Hmm,” was all Seto replied with as they pulled up to the hotel. He didn’t expect Joey to understand, but it was still nice to have somebody with an infectiously good mood around to lift his spirits, and keep him from drinking his frustrations away.

“So, where to? How d’ya want me to dress?” Joey asked, as he sat down in front of his suitcase.

“Dressy but not formal,” Seto responded, as he took off his coat, and hung it on the hanger. He opted to switch his black turtleneck for a long-sleeved navy shirt with a Merino black sweater, and his leather pants to something more relaxed. Joey watched quietly, appreciating the man he’d so fallen in love with. “What, you getting ideas?”

Joey blushed, picking out a forest green shirt and black skinny-jeans. “Maybe. I just think ya handsome and can’t help but look.”

“You’re a strange one,” he muttered, as he went into the bathroom.

“Ya have the audacity t’ call me strange,” Joey laughed. He leaned on the doorframe and watched Seto comb through his hair, and put on some cologne.

“You wouldn’t love me if I wasn’t,” he murmured, as he took a final look, and put the comb away. “Right, let’s go out.”

“So, where are we going?” Joey asked, a little excited as they hopped back into the limo.

“I thought I’d take you to the Sky Tree.”

“The Sky Tree!?” Joey grinned.

“They have a restaurant at the viewing floor so we can watch over Tokyo’s sunset.”

“Have you eaten there before?” Joey asked.

“No. It’s got a great reputation, to take partners to. I’ve never had an excuse before now.”

Joey smiled, there was something special about making brand new memories at places Seto also hadn’t been to. The limousine ride took around twenty minutes, where Joey and Seto made idle chatter about the Duel Monster championship before they pulled up outside the illuminated building.

“Holy crap that’s huge!” Joey exclaimed, looking up at the building.

“That’s what he said,” Seto quipped, and Joey’s jaw dropped. Did Seto Kaiba just make a joke? “It’s Six Hundred and Thirty Four metres tall. The restaurant is a bit over halfway up. It’s the second tallest building in the world.”

“Look at you, Mr. Encyclopaedia,” Joey teased.

“Hmph.” Seto scowled at Joey’s jab, and they made their way up the elevator, bypassing the line of people waiting. The elevator was Autumn-themed, decorated in gold leaves.

“Wow, the detail is so pretty!” Joey exclaimed, as they climbed floors. They finally slowed, and the doors popped open to the observation deck. Seto bowed to the elevator attendant, as Joey raced out, finding a spare spot on the railing to oversee the evening glow of Tokyo as the lights from the city slowly lit up.

Seto let Joey look excitedly around, watching him as he looked at the guide map and pointed out landmarks. The sky was clear, and Mt. Fuji was visible, and Joey took dozens of photos. “Dis city is incredible!” He rattled on like an excited child, as he pointed out places they’d been together so far, and places he wanted to go next time they were in the city. The sky slowly turned a shade of peach.

“Would you like to go eat,” Seto asked, after they’d done a full circuit of the deck.

“Would I ever!” Joey exclaimed, and Seto smirked. Food was always going to be Joey’s true love. He took Joey’s hand, and led him to the restaurant entrance, where he quietly spoke to the hostess, who led them to the bar, which had hot plates in front of them.

“Wha’s the menu like?” Joey asked.

“They have set menu’s here. So, you get a little bit of everything. I figured the Teppanyaki would suit.”

“Hey, if it’s meat, you know I’ll eat it,” Joey grinned as he took the seat beside Seto, and looked over the menu list. “I don’ understand this. What’s good?”

Seto looked through the drinks list. “It depends on what you’d like. Since this is a French restaurant, they tend to serve a lot of wine. But you can get a beer, if you’d like, or just a cola.”

“Yeah,” Joey looked at the menu again. “I’ll just have a beer.”

“Excuse me,” Seto muttered to the waitress. “One beer, and I’ll have…the Pinot Gris. And just start bringing the food as you’re ready.”

“Certainly.” She smiled and went to retrieve their drinks.

“Other than English, do you know any foreign languages?” Joey asked.

“I do know conversational French,” Seto said. “I used to be fluent in German too. I know enough Korean to get me by.”

“Whoa,” Joey looked at him astonished. “You’re like, super smart. Like, I know that, you passed every class with A’s and stuff. But you’re like a genius!”

“Before Domino High, I used to study all sorts of things. I began programming when I was…ten?” Seto nodded a thank you to the waitress as she placed their drinks down. “I don’t think it’s genius, just dedication, and the ability to put my head down and work hard.”

“No wonder you’re so successful,” Joey breathed in awe.

“A lot of it was survival of the fittest. If I didn’t live and breathe that life back then, Mokuba and I wouldn’t be here now.” The sentence was definitive, as Seto sipped at the white wine.

“Still, that’s a lot to commit to when you’re not even a teenager,” Joey replied, taking a drink of his Asahi.

Seto cocked his head. “Maybe so. I didn’t give it much thought back then, and I don’t now, either. I’m where I need to be, and relatively enjoy what I do.”

“You enjoy being CEO?”

Seto shrugged. “Rather, I enjoy having the freedom to chase my dreams. Be it programming, be it Duel Monsters, be it making theme parks for kids to enjoy.”

“You’ve got a soft spot for children, don’t you?” Joey asked, as the first bite was slipped in front of them.

“I do.” Seto took a moment to say grace. “A child shouldn’t have to grow up as quickly as I did. A child shouldn’t have to worry about their future.”

“Do you want a family of your own someday?”

Seto thought about it for a moment. “I couldn’t say. Not a biological family. If I were, I would adopt. But, I feel as if I have a lot more to do before I consider that.”

“There was that shit a few weeks back with that crazy lady, right?” Joey mused, remembering the lady who said Seto had impregnated her.

“The look on my board’s face when I told them I’d had a vasectomy,” he hummed.

“Wait, what?”

Seto shrugged. “It’s of no real consequence to us, is it?”

Joey looked at him, drink still in his hand. “Whaddya mean by that?”

“I’ve taken necessary precautions to protect myself, and the people around me. I always knew it would be a matter of time before somebody would accuse me of that kind of nonsense.”

“So, rather than a few paternity tests, you just got a vasectomy?”

“A biological family means nothing. You’re also on the receiving end of that. Trust me, in high business comes high chance of people coming out of the woodwork after your money and status. I just couldn’t be bothered with that kind of drama. Imagine if I’d ended up with a woman after all, and she skipped on her birth control, or poked holes in a condom? Until we kissed I had no damn idea that I was even bisexual, let alone gay. It only makes sense in retrospect.”

“Well, it just seems a bit…extra. But alright,” Joey shrugged in the same manner as Seto had before. “I guess I’ll never understand what goes on in your head t’ make that kind of decision.”

“As I said, it doesn’t matter, and I had my reasons. We don’t have the right parts to have a biological family without a surrogate in the first place, so don’t worry your silly face about it.”

“Okay,” Joey moved on, making his way through the second plate that had been placed in front of him.

“Do you have any dreams?” Seto asked.

“Uhh…” Joey paused. “One day I think I’d like ta work with a charity. Maybe learn a language. Maybe do a baking course? I don’t know, I’ve never had options before now.”

Seto mused for a while. “Well, once you get sick of doing this as a job, let me know and we’ll make something work.”

Joey’s eyes sparkled. “Really?”

“I want you to succeed, and I want your happiness. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“Oh, how the world would react if people knew the real you. Th’ one with feelings and crap.”

Seto looked Joey dead in the eyes until Joey laughed lightly. Seto also cracked a smile. “I don’t understand why you’re so surprised that I actually have feelings?”

“It’s because before I started datin’ ya, you were a bit of a dick to everyone. Especially me.”

“The heart wants what the heart wants,” Seto said cryptically.

“What’s that meant t’ mean?”

“Maybe I subconsciously always wanted your attention, maybe you just wore me down at that dance. I can’t be quite sure, really.” Seto mused, finishing his first glass of wine, motioning for another from the waitress. “But, I’ve always had love for Mokuba, and you’re acting like I couldn’t love somebody else?”

“You’re a CEO, you ruin lives for a living,” Joey rebutted. “You have to be pretty headstrong to live like dat.”

“It is true that I hate inefficiency, but when I love something, I’d risk my life for it.” Seto began sipping on his second glass of wine. “How many times did I save Mokuba from situations, granted he was put in those predicaments because of my name.”

“I’ll never forget when that shit Rapunzel’d out of Pegasus’ Castle,” Joey remarked with a smirk.

“Neither will I,” Seto replied, dryly. “I’m glad all that ‘magic’ bullshit is over so the brat can live a normal, kidnap-free life.”

The pair idly began to steer away from their conversation as more food appeared in front of them, with Joey taking many photos, ready to put online in the morning. And with the food, Seto accompanied with enough wine to make him friendly and naturally talkative. The sun set across the sky, which they had a great view of, and the city of Tokyo began to sparkle. _A lot like our future_ , Joey thought.

They spent the rest of their night walking the Tokyo streets, chatting freely. As their time was fleeting in the bustling city, Joey begged Seto to stay out, so they roamed until 2am, ducking between izakaya’s, having a drink or two before heading off down the road. They only finally returned home because Seto gently reminded them they had a final to host the afternoon following, and they’d both have to be in their best, and most presentable state. With any more alcohol, they’d both be worse for wear. They stumbled into their hotel with smiles on their faces, holding hands, kissing each other as they kicked their shoes off and fell onto the bed.

 

 

-

 

 

Sunday came quicker than a flash, after the Tokyo tournament had wrapped up and a winner had been named. Unfortunately, with tournaments come setting up and packing down responsibilities, so the pair hadn’t gotten to enjoy their last night together.

Seto finished zipping up his suitcase, after folding everything meticulously. “It’s time to go home,” he sighed, a waiver of disdain in his voice.

“Aw, but I like it here.” Joey flopped on the comfortable hotel bed. “Can’t we just stay another night or two?”

“Well, we can come to Tokyo again. It’s not like we don’t have a place to stay.” Seto checked his watch.

Joey’s eyes averted Seto’s in a crimson haze. Yeah, that house. Yeah.

“When we get back to Domino, do you want me to drop you back home?”

Joey shrugged. “If you’re busy I’ll go home but…”

“You’re welcome to stay with me if you’d like.”

“Are ya sure?”

“I wouldn’t offer, you idiot, if I didn’t mean it.”

Joey poked his tongue out at the CEO, and dragged his body off the bed, grabbing his suitcase and following the brunette out the door to the limo, which swiftly took them to the airport.

 

 

-

 

 

After a busy week in the bustling city, Domino seemed quiet, and Joey found himself almost bored with the city. But, he was almost thankful to have a normal working week, between product launches, internal business, and a post-Tokyo interview for a kids’ magazine.

“Hey,” Seto rolled into the living room at 11pm on Friday night.

“Welcome home,” Joey said, casting a glance at the suited CEO, who had been out courting new clients. “How was your dinner?”

Seto waved his hand. “It was fine. We came to an agreement. Nothing to write home about.” He placed his jet-black briefcase on the floor, and sunk into the couch, crossing his legs. “How was your day?”

“It was cool, I helped out in the city store with the product launch. I’m really likin’ my job, yanno?”

Seto smiled. “I’m glad. I’m proud of you. I knew you’d be great with whatever I threw at you.”

Joey beamed with pride. “Ya mean that?”

“That I’m proud of you? Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I dunno, like,” Joey looked him in the eyes, “I’ve neva really heard that from anyone before.”

Seto grabbed his hands, and squeezed. “I want you to remember this; I didn’t just hire you because I had to. You earned your spot fair and square, and if you were terrible you wouldn’t be here.” He sunk back into the chair and closed his eyes momentarily. “What are your plans for tomorrow?”

“I uh…” Joey thought for a while. “I hav’ to go home, do some stuff there. Get some clothes. That kinda stuff. You?”

“I have a meeting, and some out of town business tomorrow. I’ll be home around nine though. I’m not working on Sunday. Will you be over?”

Joey smiled. “I’ll be here if you want me.”

“I wouldn’t mind if you stayed.”

“Wouldn’t mind?” Joey teased. “Such a romantic.”

“Shut up.”


	18. Chapter 18

Although the days were getting longer, Domino City was launching head-first into Rainy Season. This Saturday afternoon marked day six in a row of non-stop rain coupled with a sticky heat that wouldn’t dissipate.

Joey was bored out of his mind, slouched over the kitchen table in the mansion. The muggy heat evaporating any remaining motivation to do _anything_. Seto had been away for three days, leaving Joey free reign of the house, but what’s a boy to do when he’s home alone and feeling consistently uncomfortable? He’d already cracked open and clocked a new game in his downtime; spent the evenings at the arcade with Mokuba when they’d both been free, and raided the pantry of all the good snacks.

He pondered momentarily whether this was what married life was going to be like, before scrapping the word from the forefront of his brain. Marriage, huh? Three months in was a bit too early to be thinking about that. They weren’t even living together. Well, officially anyway. Joey still had his own lease, on an apartment he’d been back to…twice? Neither of them had even thought much about him staying alone at Seto’s mansion when he had his own space and Mokuba never seemed to mind the company.

Which, really did seem like a waste of money.

‘ _When did Joey Wheeler become such a sap,’_ he wondered, before reminding himself that it was Seto’s fault in the first place for mentioning such a word on their trip to Tokyo. He felt around in his pocket for his packet of cigarettes, feeling a little guilty that the packet was considerably lighter before he grabbed one out and headed up to the balcony off Seto’s room. It was never his intention to become addicted to chasing that headspin, but it was convenient, cheap, and easy to find, and the bitter taste of the smoke rolling around his tongue made everything feel a little less like a fantasy; gritty like the neighbourhood he was used to before he’d landed this job and gotten away from those punks where he’d acquired the taste in the first place.

As he clicked the lighter, he pondered that maybe it was time to take up one of those hobbies he’d mentioned on their last proper date before he sunk too far into this vice. But right now, just one more…

 

 

-

 

 

Seto dropped his keys on the kitchen counter, noticing a faint smell of vanilla in the room, before poking his head into the lounge, which looked clean enough, but lived-in. Crinkles lined the leather chair, and there were snacks still on the table which hadn’t been tidied away. A strange feeling of satisfaction waved over him, which is pondered on for a second. His perfect, neat and proper life was showing cracks of disarray, and he wasn’t even mildly irritated by it.

“I’m home,” he called into the open space, not expecting a reply from up the stairwell.

“Welcome home” a voice called back, which Seto followed up the stairwell, noticing the door to his room ajar.

Joey looked up from the bed, where he was lying back reading. Seto noted cupcakes on the bedside table with messy handwritten icing – _I love you_ and a big smile on the blond’s lips. He placed his suitcase neatly down, and smiled when he made eye contact with the scruffy boy.

“Hey,” Seto said, as he waited for a further reaction from the blond, who put his book down and arose from the bed, kissing Seto’s lips for the first time in days, lingering attached to his lips until he pulled back for air.

“Hey. Missed you.” The sentiment was short. Sweet.

“Did you make those?”

Joey blushed. “Yeah. Thought about what ya said. Put some of my energy int’ baking. First batch looked like ya blue-eyes had torched it. This lot came out good though!”

Seto laughed. “Mind if I try one then?”

“Go ahead,” Joey stepped aside.

“What are you reading?” Seto asked, as he bit into the vanilla cupcake. “This tastes delicious.”

“Thanks!” Joey blushed again. “I’m uh tryin’ to learn honorific language before this damn tournament in Fukuoka.”

“Took some time to think about our conversation at the Sky Tree then?” Seto licked the icing off his fingers and Joey blushed.

“I’ve just spent this time waiting for you, so I thought I better, y’know...”

“I thought you might have, gone out and seen some of your friends or something?” Seto asked, as he popped open his suitcase and began to hang neatly dry-cleaned clothes in his closet.

“If you forgot, all my friends left me to travel or study or somethin’,” he quipped back a little harsher than he’d intended. “One of them’s a homophobe. Fabulous. Hung out with Mokuba a lot though. Kid’s smart, ya know.”

“Sorry.” Seto clammed up. Joey noticed that Seto had stiffened up, and hopped off the bed to rub his boyfriends’ shoulders.

“I’m sorry, I just missed ya and was kinda lonely. I’m glad you’re home.”

“Glad to be home.”

 

 

-

 

 

For some reason, Joey hadn’t been so talkative today, which was a first and the old Seto would have been _thrilled_ , but Seto was a little worried. He lingered around the gloomy blond without openly acknowledging the silence, until Joey himself cut through the silence with a voice filled with worry.

“You don’t feel like we’re moving too fast?” Joey sat at the kitchen counter, drinking an iced tea. He’d still been thinking about his apartment, and the wasted money on rent. But he felt uncomfortable asking Seto to just move in, even though he’d hardly been home recently. He almost hoped Seto would just bring it up naturally, but he doubted that’d be a topic of conversation without a little push.

Seto paused, noting the creases in the others’ forehead. “No, what makes you say that?”

“I don’t know. I guess I never thought I’d go from first date to pretty much stayin’ every night, in like, three months?” Joey nervously chewed his straw.

Seto pondered for a moment, cupping his short black in his hand. “I think circumstances would be different if you were dating a nine-til-five man, but you’re not. You know that I can be gone for days at a time, so it’s a very part-time relationship as it is.”

“I’d hardly call it that.” Joey cocked his head.

“The only reason why we have time together now is because we’re on tour.”

Joey looked down at the carpet. “Yeah, I guess.”

“Once this tour wraps up, you’ll start to see a little more of the real me; at work til 4am, in business meetings on Saturdays, jetting around and being a lot more focussed on work in general. I hope that you’ll not take it personally when I don’t have time for you.”

“I’ll try not to,” Joey said, still chewing on his straw from nerves. “Just…don’t be too mad at me if I don’t live up to your expectations or if I miss you a little.”

“You know it’s hard for me to shift between work-Kaiba and home-Kaiba when I get stuck into big projects, so you’ve got to be patient with me, and in turn, I’ll be mindful of how I speak to you and do what I can to spend some time with you too. This is just going to be a relationship of compromises. But you’ve known this from the start, and I’ve been transparent about it.”

Joey sat there, twirling the chewed straw in his fingers, concern still etched into his face. Seto sighed and continued.

“If I didn’t think we’d work out, and if I didn’t want you here, you wouldn’t be here. But, I made the choice to welcome you into my life. You didn’t make it easy to choose otherwise, I’ll admit.”

Joey smiled a little, and his eyes glinted with mischief. “I guess I didn’t.”

“As for moving too ‘fast’, I guess this is it for now. I have nothing more really to offer you than my bed when I’m not here, and my attention when I am. You’re free to come and go as you please here. My schedule after the tournament wraps up will be more intense, because I’ll be diving into Kaibaland, and we won’t be living in each other’s’ pockets then.” Seto took a sip of his coffee, letting his words breathe.

“Does this make you feel better?”

Joey nodded. “Yeah, sorry I get so insecure. I just feel like I’ve got it a lil too good an’ I’m just gonna get in your way. If I do get in ya way, just tell me and I can go back to th’ apartment or whatever.”

“You should probably just get rid of the apartment and just move in here and save some money, you idiot,” Seto shrugged. “I have three spare rooms upstairs that are just guest rooms. You’re welcome to just have one for your possessions, wardrobe, and whatever else, rather than living out of a bag and wearing the same three outfits.”

“Excuse me, I think you’ll find I have _four_ different shirts,” Joey retorted, poking his tongue out cheekily.

“Either way, when I’m busy with projects I won’t be here, and Mokuba would appreciate the company. And when I am here, it’d be much easier for you to already be here too. But it’s up to you. Think about it?”

“I will.”

“I didn’t think in March I’d be calling you my most favourite pain in the ass,” Seto smiled through the comment, and leaned into Joey to kiss him on the forehead. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a meeting to grace my presence with, but I’ll be home this afternoon.”

 

 

-

 

 

Joey had taken the afternoon to process the conversation for the morning. He still felt a little guilty, and maybe like he was freeloading off Kaiba, by eating his food and just being in his personal space, but he’d reasoned that if Kaiba said it was okay, then it was okay. It wouldn’t be like Kaiba to _not_ voice his displeasure.

Joey was floating on his back in the expansive pool tucked behind some hedges in the backyard to escape the muggy heat. The water was refreshing, and he’d felt the most relaxed he’d been all week, finally being able to get outside due to the rain clearing up, even though it was forecast to again tonight.

“Hey,” Seto’s voice cut softly through Joey’s train of thought.

“Hey,” Joey replied as he rolled over to swim over to the edge.

“I thought I’d come and make sure you hadn’t drowned,” Seto replied, as he sat down by the pool edge, dipping his toes in the water. Joey turned around to look at him, in a loose tee and shorts, dressed like an imposter. Seto had conceded that, after his meeting, the heat was making even the most expensive of suits sit in the wrong places.

“What’s with the casual?”

“I’m allowed to feel the heat, I’m not a robot,” Seto replied, noticing Joey’s eyes piercing holes into him. “The water won’t short-circuit me.” Joey laughed loudly and Seto smiled as he took off his shirt, and Joey thanked the Gods once again for the sight in front of him.

“D’ya need me t’ sunscreen ya back or something?”

“If you wouldn’t mind,” Seto replied, and Joey swam to the edge, splashing out of the pool like a movie scene.

Kaiba’s heart did that strange flip-flop thing he’d only heard about in movies as Joey brushed his hair out of his eyes, and grabbed the sunscreen, drying his hands on the towel first before squirting it into his hands, starting at his neck, and working his hands down his back in circular motions.

“That feels nice,” Seto murmured, relaxing into the strong palms, his thoughts wandering briefly to the times before Joey where he’d felt like he’d only ever trust Mokuba. Since his parents had passed, these were only the second set of hands he felt comfortable in…

He was snapped out of his thoughts by a kiss on the lips. “Have you got anything in ya pockets?”

“No, why?”

Joey grabbed Seto around his waist and threw him in the pool. “Dat’s why!”

“What the fuck!?” On second thoughts, maybe it wasn’t safe to inherently _trust_ the delinquent…

Joey’s eyes flashed with momentary panic, before slyly grinning, jumping into the pool. “Just tryin’ to get you to loosen up!”

“I’m going to kick your ass Wheeler!”

“Only if you can catch me!” Joey grinned as he dove underwater, popping up at the other end of the pool.

“Didn’t you know I was on the swim team, dumbass?” Seto retorted as he dove and made record time to catch up. Joey twisted out of reach and swam away, and Seto continued to chase around the expansive pool until he’d cornered the blond with a cheeky smile. “What are you going to do now, _bonkotsu_? You’re out of places to run.” His eyes looked dangerous; he was ready to take him down with a fight.

Joey grabbed the arms of the brunette, dragging him under the water with him, and Seto twisted until he had the advantage. They playfought, between giggles and splashes, between catching gasps of air before they were dragged under the water again, hands grabbing, legs twisting, hair in their eyes. It was only once Seto had grabbed the wrists of the blond and pinned him to the pool edge that one finally had the advantage, whispering gravelly in his ear “are you ready to concede?”

The air surrounding Joey went thick, and a shiver went up his spine as he felt the body press heavily against him, and the breath coat his neck. “It’d be the first time you’d end up on top in a fight between us if I did,” he retorted, tempting fate, as he bit his lip and tried to struggle, but the weight against him and the tension from the water meant he’d lost a fight, albeit a playfight, between the pair.

“I said, are you going to concede?” Seto asked again sinisterly, spreading his arms further apart, catching Joey off guard by brushing his lips against the curve of his neck.

“I guess it wouldn’ be fair to win ‘em all,” Joey replied cockily, “so I’ll let you have this victory.” The hands gripped tighter until Joey whimpered and replied “okay, you win, fair and square!” The grip relaxed off his wrists before snaking them down his body and grabbing his ass while Seto sucked on the nape of his neck. “Oh, it’s like that is it? Even when you’re backed into a corner with no chance of winning you’re still a smartass.”

“Your arrogance rubs off on me,” Joey retorted with a smirk.

Seto grabbed Joey’s hips and turned them to face him, forcefully pressing his lips upon Joey’s who was lost momentarily between the hair in his eyes and the chlorine on his lips. They parted, and a raise of an eyebrow indicated this was going somewhere further; without words, they both got out of the pool, and grabbed the towels lying on the concrete, before heading towards the house.

In a whirlwind, they were up the stairs, and on the plush throws of Seto’s bed, haphazardly throwing clothes across the floor, Joey pinned to the bed, moaning between the pair of lips that glued themselves to his neck, and the hands that were exploring, wrapping themselves around the tip of the swollen cock, rocking slowly backwards and forwards over the sensitive tip.

“Fuck.”

“You like that?”

“Fuck yeahhhh.”

Seto made eye contact before leaning in to Joey’s ear and whispering “can I fuck you?”

Joey’s heart beat fast, but he choked out a “yes” between a gasp of thick air. He closed his eyes as Seto’s body weight shifted, and he heard the draw open and the distinct click of a bottle. He tried to relax, knowing that’s the advice _he_ would give, but Seto waited to proceed until he’d opened his eyes, and nodded silent approval before moving in.

Seto recalled their first time, starting with just one finger and how he’d worked his way up to the real thing. Yeah, he’d watched porn, maybe a half-dozen times in his years _total_ , but he’d never studied it or anything, and it had all been straight porn. Which, might explain why it never seemed to get his rocks off but anyway... his only experience with gay sex had been with Joey, and a little bit of prep before their first time... He’d assumed Joey knew what he was doing the last time, and there was a little doubt about fucking it up or going too fast, but if he was going to “fuck it up” he was slightly relieved it was here and now.

“Are you okay?” Joey asked, snapping Seto out of his thoughts.

“Yeah, just a little…”

“I’ll tell you what feels good, just take some time, okay?”

Seto nodded, as he knelt between the blond’s knees, fingers covered in lube, and poked the first one in tentatively. Joey remained unbothered by the intrusion, and after a few moments, Seto slowly put the second finger in, moving it around after a few more moments, making sure the blond still looked relaxed.

“Is this okay?”

“It’s good,” Joey breathed back. “I don’t mind if you want to go a bit faster…”

Seto nodded, with a serious face, and put another finger in, making light stretching motions, noting the hitch in breathing. “Is this okay?”

“It’s good, Set-“ He felt the muscles relax around him, and for a while, he continued stretching the hole until it looked a lot more inviting.

“Okay, I’m going to…” he cut himself off and Joey smiled, and he felt safe.

Coating his own hard, untouched cock in the lube, with two firm strokes, which sent shudders down his own spine, he then pressed his tip to the puckered hole of the blond lying delectably in front of him. Joey raised his hips a little higher for better access, and Seto lent over his body, using his left hand to steady himself as he guided his cock in with his right. With one slow push, he was in, feeling the heat pulsing around his thick shaft, and Joey’s eyes flung open, covered in lust. He noticed Seto not moving a lot, and began to move his hips into the smaller brunettes, until he’d gotten the hint and began to thrust off his own accord.

“You feel so _big_ inside me,” Joey breathed, and Seto began to relax. “Like you’re gonna _break_ me.”

Seto began picking up the pace of his thrusts, feeling the walls of the blond clamping tight around his cock, and he began to lose himself in the sensation, trying to control his own breathing, which came in shallow breaths and moans, until he’d managed to find _the_ spot, which made Joey moan loudly.

“You keep that up and I’m gonna come so hard,” Joey encouraged, and Seto hit _that_ spot again, feeling the muscles clamping around his cock again, bringing him to orgasm suddenly, rocking erratically, bringing the blond to his edge too, coming over their stomachs. Seto closed his eyes momentarily, before peeling himself off the chlorinated skin, semen seeping out of the cavern.

Joey took a moment to recover his thoughts before looking at Seto with a smile. “I think you might wanna change the sheets,” he said with a lopsided grin. “Mind if I shower?”

Seto gestured at the bathroom door, and as Joey shut the door behind him, he sighed a little, and sat on the edge of the bed for a moment, feeling almost a little embarrassed.

 

 

-

 

 

Showered and clean, with a set of fresh sheets on the bed, Seto still felt kind of awkward. He wondered if it was inexperience, or if it was the idea of sex in general that bothered him, but he thought back to their first time and remembered that he’d felt calm in comparison about it. Maybe it was the pressure to perform, which he considered odd, considering the stamina and resolve required day-to-day to order thousands of staff, launch new products and technology, and stand his ground with grumpy businessmen who looked down on his age?

What a predicament. And what an embarrassing thing to even say out loud, even to somebody who he trusted.

It’s a good thing that Joey was the one who decided to bring it up, lightly, before they went to sleep that night. “Hey, Seto, can we talk about stuff?”

“Of course.” He had a sinking feeling in his stomach, but hid it behind a deadpan gaze.

“Well, y’know, it’s about sex an’ I know it’s a bit awkward I guess talkin’ about all this stuff.”

“You can say it, I wasn’t optimal at it.”

“Dat’s not what I was gon’ say,” Joey replied softly. “I could tell ya were nervous or somethin’, so what were you nervous about?”

Seto blushed and pondered the words, letting them simmer in his head before saying “I’m inexperienced.”

“Are you worried that ya were gonna disappoint me or yourself?”

Seto’s hands clammed up as he worked his mind around the words he wanted to say. “This feels like something I failed at. I’m an expert at everything else I do.”

Joey sat beside Seto and rested his head on his shoulder. “That shouldn’t matter, we can learn all this together. I mean, this was only our second time havin’ sex. It’s probably like everythin’ else you’re good at that took years of gettin’ better at, right?”

“I should have been able to be better already.”

Joey sighed. “Babe, you didn’ even know you were into guys until a few months ago. I don’ expect ya to know lots about what gets them off. D’ya think you’d’ve been different with a chick?” Seto shrugged. “Well, maybe it would have but maybe it wouldn’t have. I’ll never know.”

Seto shrugged again.

“How was th’ first time?”

“Good.”

“And this time?”

“Well, how was this time for you?”

“It was good, but I couldn’t enjoy myself as much knowing you weren’t comfortable,” Joey admitted.

“So, how do we fix it?”

“Well,” Joey held out three fingers. “I have some ideas. One, we practise a lot with you on top until you feel more comfortable. I’ll always be open an’ honest with ya and I won’t make fun of ya when you’re learning. Two, we can get our rocks off in other ways, like _incredible_ beejays, and things like dat. Or Three, I can be on top if you’re more comfortable with how it went th’ first time. It’s up’ta you.”

“Do you have a preference?” Seto asked.

“Honestly? I don’t mind either way, but I think I’m more comfortable doin’ the leading than the following during sex.”

“If that’s the case then we have our solution.”

“Are you okay with it?”

“I’m fine with that.”

Joey smiled and kissed Seto on the forehead. “If you ever wanna swap or try new stuff, I’m cool with it. I’m tryin’ to communicate well with ya and make you feel better about this relationship and stuff.”

“So am I.”

“I’m really proud of ya, Kaiba. Never thought I’d see the day where we could talk about stuff like this without burying each other in the backyard after.”

Seto cracked a smile and playfully exclaimed “shove it, Wheeler.”

“Where do you want me to shove it?” Joey winked.

Seto merely facepalmed, and Joey pushed him back onto the bed, into the freshly changed sheets.


	19. Chapter 19

If Joey had thought Tokyo’s neon lights were impressive, he was about to pass out at the sight that was central Osaka – Dotonbori – after dusk. The canal running through the city centre was teeming with people finding comfort between countless Ramen restaurants and Izakaya, shopping up a storm in the famous International Stores, and taking selfies on the bridge beside the Glico Man. The city buzzed between the midi chords of the twenty-four-hour department stores, and the high-pitched “Irrashaimase!” chorus from shopkeepers trying to make their next thousand yen.

“This is nothing like home,” Joey breathed, pulling out his phone to snap pictures of the neon billboards while watching a man stand on a ladder in his doorway, holding up a handwritten sign saying “30% off – til 9pm only!” shout into the street. The next store was selling Takoyaki with a line at least thirty people long, girls dressed in school uniforms taking selfies with their sauce-covered creations.

“Osaka is really something,” Seto commented, as he watched Joey’s incredulous reactions to the buzz of a real city. “Some bars in upper Shinsaibashi don’t close til 5am. After midnight, this town transforms into something different again.” He lightly pulled at Joey’s green tee to get his attention, pulling him towards a side street. “And, when you come to Osaka, there are three foods you must eat.”

“You sound like a veteran,” Joey commented, trailing behind his tall boyfriend. He was thankful for the extra height to keep track of as they weaved between crowds, where people stepped aside to double take, and click photos of the pair. It was the first time they’d been out in a crowded atmosphere, and hearing their names chattered between the vibrancy was distracting. Joey was inclined to turn around and take photos with the crowd, but he knew he couldn’t falter in his steps save lose his other half.

Five minutes of ducking and darting between people and streets landed the pair at an Osakan speciality restaurant. A little off the beaten path, the store smelled deliciously savoury and Seto pulled the blonde gently into a two-seater booth which donned a hotplate in front of the chefs.

“Where is this?” Joey asked, as he looked down at the menu.

“Our first stop. Just trust me; I hope you’re hungry tonight.” He flagged down the waitress and mumbled an order that seemed to take more than a minute to complete. She smiled and nodded, bringing the pair some cutlery and water glasses for the time being.

“Have you been here before?” Joey asked, watching the chef in front of them bow and greet them before beginning his work on their hotplate, spreading batter with a mix of cabbage and seafood in front of them, waiting for it to bubble before flipping it and putting it under a heating bowl.

“Kinoshita-San is a client of mine,” he nodded at the chef who smiled back at him with faint wrinkles around his eyes. “He may look like just a chef at night time, but during the day, he also manages several stores that stock KaibaCorp products. So, naturally, every time I’m in Osaka, he looks after me, and I look after him.” Seto uttered a ‘thank you’ at the waitress who placed their Sake cups down. “As you’re aware, Japanese business is done through trust and great service.”

“Wow, to run some shops and then to do chef work at night must be a killer,” Joey commented, watching the man flip his spatulas in a mesmerising beat.

“When you find something you love, you make it work,” Kinoshita lightly laughed over his grill, winking as he reached for his spring onions, sprinkling them artistically over the pancake, covering them in the same savoury sauce that Joey could initially smell when he walked in, and finally with dried seaweed that looked like it was dancing through the steam rising. “And this is your Okonomiyaki. I hope you enjoy.”

“Thank you,” Seto acknowledged, picking up his Sake cup. “First, cheers to Osaka.” Joey picked up his own cup and clinked it gently, letting the alcohol slide effortlessly down his throat without a burn. “Secondly, let’s eat.” Seto clasped his hands and said grace before motioning for Joey to take the first cut into the pancake.

Joey sliced the sizzling dish, putting a little onto a side plate, letting it cool before chopping it smaller with his wooden chopsticks. He’d had okonomiyaki before, but never made in front of him, and never authentically Osakan. He noted the fluffiness of the batter as he took his first bite, wincing slightly at the burn of the still-cooling oil.

“Careful,” Seto murmured, as he portioned his own off, pouring a little more Sake into their cups. “Do you like it?”

“It’s delicious,” Joey beamed, waiting for it to cool a little more. “Thanks for bringin’ me out somewhere this cool!”

“It’s nice to not have to care about how people will react when I take you somewhere,” Seto admitted, as he lightly attacked his portion of the pancake. He paused before adding “as long as you’re still comfortable with all of it.”

“I don’t know if comfortable is the right word,” Joey admitted, “but it’s something I can live with if it means I can be wit’cha. I’m pretty used t’ the stares now, we got plenty on our way here.” The pancake was at a much more tolerable temperature now, and he dug in with the fervour Seto had come to endearingly expect. “Seriously, Kinoshita-San, how much is it to hire you as our personal chef, because this is unbelievably delicious!”

Seto stifled a laugh and Kinoshita gave a hearty laugh. “No amount of money could tear me away from the city I love, the job I love, and the people I love.” He cleaned the plate in front of them and pulled out the Takoyaki plate, pouring batter into those, and putting hearty pieces of Octopus in the middle. “I hope you’ll find the same passion and love for life that I’ve been blessed with in mine.”

“How did you choose such an odd mix of careers?”

Kinoshita paused for a moment before smiling. “My day job is a family business, and my older Sister helps me with managing in the evenings. This however, I stumbled into accidentally in my mid-thirties. It all happened by accident because I was hosting a Takoyaki party while meeting with potential business partners. One of them happened to be married to the owner of this shop, and they were incredibly impressed.” He motioned to the waitress. “She takes a more customer-service approach now that she’s older, and I’ll probably take over completely when she decides to retire.” He grabbed his metal chopsticks, rolling the balls as they began to cook with incredible speed. “I imagine it’s just like you two, happened on accident but it’s the best thing that’s happened to you, right?”

Joey blushed and Seto raised his eyebrow as he sipped on his Sake.

“Don’t bite into this for a moment, unless you want to bathe your throat in the fiery depths of hell,” Kinoshita smiled, serving the Takoyaki onto a plate with onion and egg and delicate sauce.

“Wow, he truly is something else,” Joey muttered as he left earshot, poking his chopsticks softly into the sides of the bouncy Takoyaki. He blew on it twice, and looked at Seto contentedly, before wincing at the searing heat that hit the back of his throat. “Ahh, shit!”

“Cat’s tongue,” Seto chuckled lightly watching the blonde grab the water and down it. “He did warn you, after all.”

Joey sneered, as he blew on his next piece and let it sit between his chopsticks for a moment, watching Seto’s eyelashes flutter as he sipped on his Sake. “Well, can you eat one piping hot, moneybags?”

Seto stopped mid-sip and gently grabbed his chopsticks, putting one straight in his mouth without wincing.

“Of course, you fuckin’ can,” Joey huffed, as he put his second to his lips. “Is there anything you can’t do?”

“I wonder…” Seto mused, before finishing the last of the Sake. “Incredible as always, Kinoshita.” Seto pulled a crisp Fifty Thousand Yen note out from his wallet. “I believe this should cover it.”

“More than,” Kinoshita replied, going to hand Seto his change. Seto waved it away, “the next customer gets a discount if you don’t want to keep the tip,” he merely said.

“A pleasure,” Kinoshita bowed deeply, as did the waitress who had served them Sake.

Joey smiled and waved to them as they headed back into the slightly-quieter streets. Walking along a cobblestone path towards the central Dotonburi, Joey smiled and noticed the back-alley eateries begin to come to life with business men, lights, and lanterns.

“You’re quiet,” Seto mused, knocking Joey out of his daze.

“Didn’t think you’d be complainin’,” Joey laughed. “This feels just unusually normal is all.”

“Hmm…dessert?” Seto asked, pulling Joey aside by his hand, noticing the camera sounds echo around them of fans.

“Always,” Joey replied, noticing they were standing in front of a Taiyaki shop.

“Their custard one is incredible, Mokuba says,” Seto said, as he popped up to the shopkeeper, and ordered one for himself with red bean, handing the freshly-made custard one to Joey. “Maybe wait a minute to save your tongue.”

“Fiiiine,” Joey pouted, poking it out to show Seto the damage from earlier, breaking it with a laugh. They stood against the wall out of foot traffic, waiting for the Taiyaki to cool before biting in. Joey gasped as the flavour hit him, and Seto laughed lightly, being reminded of his reckless younger brother just a few years earlier. “Dis’ish’incredibl,” he mumbled between mouthfuls.

“Just another business trip recommendation,” Seto said, nibbling slowly on his barely-sweet one.

“You’ve gotta get out of Domino more and learn more eateries,” Joey gasped, with awe in his face.

“In time, Wheeler.” Seto finished his composedly in slow bites. “Now, let’s head for some drinks up the road.”

 

 

-

 

 

Seto darted swiftly between the crowd of the main streets, now in the deep of the night people were paying less attention to who they were, and were more invested in their own selfies, their own drunken chatter and karaoke-planning. Joey’s senses were overloaded as he tried to keep pace, while being distracted by each neon sign flashing, each voice yelling into the open spaces. Where they’d been before was quietening down, but that’s because the crowds had headed north of the main strip to where the bars and nightclubs were open til 5am. Seto had purposefully chosen to head to Downtown Osaka on a Saturday night, with the intention of ‘blowing Joey’s mind.’

“How are we going to get entrance anywhere?” Joey asked incredulously, watching lines outside popular clubs slowly expand.

“Do you forget who I am,” Seto smirked, holding up a sleek black card resembling a hotel key. “I’ve already reserved a seat from ten-thirty.”

“Oooh-laaa-laaa,” Joey mocked. “You could buy this city too if you wanted.”

“It’s less fun to ‘buy a city’ than it is to learn the heart of its’ atmosphere by truly experiencing it.”

Joey nodded, following Seto up a staircase to the third floor. Tucked behind a man in a monochromatic suit guarding the door was a traditional izakaya with sunken seating. Seto handed his card to a girl dressed in a Royal Purple yukata, and she ushered the pair to a booth for two with lighting barely bright enough to read the menu. The pair settled into their seat, and Joey noted the gold tones within the decoration around the booth entrance. Set in front of them were an array of bar snacks; pickles, tempura, and edamame to name a few, with a pair of chopsticks each and lacquered plates with the establishment’s name also in gold.

Joey picked up the drinks menu and looked up at Seto, who had already decided. Joey thought he must have been a regular here and decided not to ask, but just merely asked for recommendations. A tray of drinks arrived, Whiskey served as Ginger Highballs, and a tall tokkuri of Sake.

Conversation flowed between the schedule for the Osaka leg of the competition, recent shenanigans with Mokuba teasing the pair relentlessly about their inability to pace themselves with their relationship, joking they’d be “divorced by next Spring at this rate,” and Seto’s business strategies with the Kaibaland expansion and post-tournament planning. More snacks arrived without commotion, waiter only interrupting their flow of conversation to take the next round of orders, bringing two at a time as to leave the pair in peace, drawing a black and gold-threaded curtain behind them for utmost privacy.

“That’s what I like about this place,” Seto said, about six drinks in by now, leaning against the wall with his navy sock cladded feet on the chair. “They’re efficient and just do their damn job.” He sipped on his neat Whiskey, upgrading it through the night from Highball to straight. “I should bring my staff here and show them how not to waste their time.”

“They’re not that bad honey,” Joey drawled, grabbing the last piece of Karaage from the plate and dipping it in the aioli provided. “You’re just a stickler for rules.”

“There’s a difference between guidelines and rules,” Seto waved at Joey dismissively.

“Guidelines are meant to be followed and rules are meant to be broken,” Joey shot back, before taking another sip at his Sake with his left hand, reaching into his pockets with his right, pulling out his phone and cigarettes. He carelessly left his belongings strewn across the table as he grabbed one out and lit it with tipsy difficulty.

“So much for cutting down,” Seto growled lowly, but reached over and grabbed one for himself, pursing his lips as he grabbed the lighter and clicked til it caught.

“You’re my only bad habit,” Joey mumbled as he stretched out and let the smoke roll in his mouth.

“That and getting into restaurants underaged without getting ID’d,” Seto retorted, finishing his glass of Whiskey. Seto placed the lighter on top of the carton in the middle of the table and leaned back into the wall, feeling a little dizzy from the asphyxiation.

“It’s because I’m half, dumbass,” Joey giggled a little. “They ID me in the smaller towns, and back home where I’m much more well-known. I’ve figured out on this trip they won’t ID me when I’m wit’cha or if I’m in a big city like here because they’ll assume I’m just full American or whatever.” Joey took another puff before adding “I guess that’s the perk of having that fuckface of a father, isn’t it?” He poured more sake into his cup, peering into the bottom seeing the clarity indicator’s smiling face look almost condescendingly back. “What’s your fuckin’ excuse for never being ID’d?”

“There’s some things money can buy,” Seto winked as he put the cigarette back to his lips.

Joey’s phone lit up blue around the edge which snapped Seto’s attention. “And who might that be at such an hour?”

Joey shrugged and lazily reached for the phone. “Probably some fan shit.” Joey’s eyes brushed over the time, 1:03am, and he unlocked his phone through his retina scan. There were dozens of notifications, which Joey had muted all, of social media notifications and mentions. Hidden amongst the hundreds of innocuous tags on photo-sharing websites asking him to like their fanart, or a birthday “hello” were the occasional nude. Joey rolled his eyes as he scrolled past one, and Seto grabbed his phone, noticing the phone sliding off a distasteful image.

“What the fuck is this?” Seto asked.

“Some people lack boundaries,” Joey mumbled, shrugging. He took another drink nonchalantly.

“You aren’t engaging with such behaviour?” Seto asked roughly.

“No, what the fuck, Seto?” Joey grabbed his phone back and stared at the twisted face incredulously.

“Then why don’t you just tell ‘em to fuck off?”

“I can’t just fuckin’ tell ‘em I don’t wanna see their junk and I can’t just fuckin’ block them all if they do somethin’ or say somethin’ real inappropriate.” Joey rolled his eyes and took a long drag of his cigarette.

“Why the fuck not?” Seto’s eyes narrowed and his scowl etched firmly in his face.

“Jesus Christ Kaiba, dis is why I talk to ya social media team. I hav’ta be careful with what I say in private messages more den I hav’ta be careful on like, public statuses and photos an’ shit coz people will make fake replies if ya engage in it.” Joey finished his cup of Sake, noting Seto hadn’t relaxed at his reply. “Fuck you man I thought you knew me better than this.” He shoved his packet of cigarettes into his pocket, and stood up from the table, feeling woozy from the alcohol, of which he felt like he’d drunk too much of. “I’ll find my way back or some shit I don’t know.” He stormed off and Seto went to get up but his reaction wasn’t quick enough.

 

 

-

 

 

Seto sat in the booth for a further twenty minutes, finishing the half-empty tokkuri. His head was spinning, and he couldn’t feel his fingertips, and the urge for another cigarette played on the tingle of his lips but he couldn’t fix that craving without the blonde.

Truth be told, he couldn’t do a lot without the blonde, and he felt fucking stupid and emotional. A man otherwise so logical had spent the last three months haphazardly letting the cute idiot wiggle his way into his house, and his heart, and he’d spent it falling way too quickly – if he’d been watching himself from the outside he’d have spent the thirteen-odd-weeks be screaming ‘ _you’re being an idiot’_ at every twist and turn. And for a moment, he wondered how this had all happened so quickly, yet it felt so slow and heavy.

He blamed a lot of this inward thinking and anger at the situation on the alcohol.

His cup was now empty and there was no point in staying in a room now silent, so Kaiba took a moment to gather his composure before dipping his head out the curtain and ushering the waiter over to tally the final bill. As he slipped out of the bar, stumbling lightly to put his shoes on. The 1:30am breeze hit his face, but it was still too warm and uncomfortable, like the entire situation back in that room which soured Kaiba’s opinion of ever going back which was a shame, really, considering the service.

Maybe this was a warning from the Gods that this relationship needed more time. Seto seethed at Joey’s inherent reaction to his question, which he didn’t even _think_ he asked so crudely. Maybe he’d said it wrong, or maybe it was interpreted wrong. Maybe they weren’t mature enough to have hard conversations, and maybe they weren’t mature enough to pick the timing when their minds weren’t clouded with alcohol.

Seto checked his phone, pondering whether to send a message to the idiot, but momentarily decided against it. Joey was the one who’d left, after all, and Seto wasn’t his babysitter.

He walked south from Shinsaibashi, towards the main strip. The shops were closed, and the streets were a little emptier, but it was now obvious where the clubs and hostess bars were littered in otherwise inconspicuous locations down stairwells and behind shopping streets. He noticed sleazy men trying to pull girls with too much makeup into alleyways, and people standing in groups of two or three in line smoking and excitedly chatting before entering bars.

A ten-minute walk became a twenty-five as Seto navigated slowly his way back towards his hotel through the neon lights and blaring music from 24-hour Karaoke joints. He let one foot fall in front of the other, mind trying to absorb the night but coming up blank through the alcohol cloud. There were momentary pauses where he considered checking on Joey through the walk, which clashed with his inner dialogue of “he’s an adult and isn’t capable of having a conversation.” He still just hoped to see him in the hotel room, but only time would tell.

 

 

-

 

 

A pounding headache and a dry mouth with the taste of lemon and alcohol welcomed the blonde into the later hours of Sunday morning. Groggily, Joey rolled over to the empty bed made a little too cleanly beside him, but a glass of water sat beside him and a note that merely read ‘Out on business. Expected to be home around ten. S.’

Joey breathed a sigh of relief, realising he had made it back safely to his own hotel room, but he couldn’t remember how. The last thing he could recall, as he steadied his balance before heading to the bathroom to pee, was him stopping at a convenience store, and grabbing a 500ml can of Strong Zero. Surely as full of alcohol as Joey had already been that was a bad idea, but coupled with fighting with Seto it was worse.

Oh yeah. Joey’d lit a fuse and walked out. Hadn’t he had issues with Seto doing that at the beginning? Sigh.

Joey looked in the mirror and sighed, noticing his hair a little greasier and his bags under his eyes from an obviously restless sleep. He turned on the water in the shower and waited for it to warm before jumping in, letting the water sit just under scalding as he recklessly threw shampoo in his hair and scrubbed a little too hard. His mind drifted in and out of focus until he felt clean enough and finally stepped out of the shower, using the heated panel in the mirror to begin to shave his face of the days’ stubble, though still patchy since he was just eighteen.

Primping aside, Joey wrapped his towel around his waist and headed back to his room. He’d wondered where he’d displaced his phone and wallet, and hunted through his clothes from the night before until he noticed them sitting on the dresser beside the TV, thoughtfully plugged in. He wasn’t sure whether to thank his past drunk self, or whether Seto had been kind enough. He honestly couldn’t tell.

And, if he couldn’t tell, Seto must be _pissed_.

Joey’s phone was filled with notifications, and as he noticed the time nearing midday, he realised he was meant to be meeting Yugi around 1pm for lunch. He sighed and sank into the chair, scrolling through to find Yugi’s name in his contacts to send him a brief message. They’d agreed to meet near Joey’s hotel save him getting lost as getting out of the city centre could be an incredible nuisance if you didn’t know the area.

While Joey sat in his chair scrolling through his daily tags, he wondered how he could make up his insolence to Seto. He reflected on their rollercoaster of a relationship and decided this wasn’t the hill he was willing to die on, so to speak.

It was then he noticed an incredible artwork done that was simple but effective, and Joey’s brain worked quicker than it should have, especially during such a hangover.

 

 

-

 

 

Yugi looked cherry for a Sunday afternoon, hair a fraction longer than when he’d left Domino city, and with a noticeable tan tickling his cheeks. For lunch, they’d chosen Ramen, and on a student budget, Yugi had the centre of Osaka down with recommendations for budget-friendly feasts.

“It’s so great to finally get to see you,” Yugi said, as they sat at a booth waiting for their ticket-machine Ramen to be brought to the table. Yugi had opted for the Negi Ramen, piled high with spring onions and sprouts. Joey had opted for the bottomless-stomach All-Topping Ramen with extra noodles and two eggs.

“You too, Yug.  I miss havin’ ya around Domino, it’s too quiet.” Joey grinned as the plates were put in front of him and the deep smell of pork tickled his nose. “Dis is huge man why didn’t ya warn me.”

“No use,” Yugi chuckled, as he smiled at the Ramen chef. “You’d just take it as a challenge.”

“Itadakima-su” Joey sing-songed, splitting his wooden chopsticks cleanly and digging straight into the piping hot broth. “Oh man,” he said between a hearty slurp. “Dish ish fantaschtic.”

Yugi laughed again at the energetic blonde, who had managed to snap out of his hangover and was now in an incredible mood. He followed by saying grace and taking his first sip of the soup, blowing slowly on it first. “Well, when you’re looking for something under 700 yen, this is the place to come.”

“How’s school been man?” Joey asked, hoping to give himself some leeway to catch up on Yugi’s tiny portion if he let him talk for a moment.

“Honestly Joey, it’s been the best thing I could ever have done. We’ve been in Egypt, as you saw when you last called me. We got back two weeks ago, and are now working with the translation crew on interpreting some newly found inscriptions. I’ve made some like-minded friends already.” Yugi smiled into his bowl introspectively. “Isn’t it funny how a card game can change your life.”

“I’ll say,” Joey said, holding his chopsticks back. “Without that card game we woulda never become such great friends.”

“You wouldn’t be dating Kaiba either,” Yugi joked, and Joey poked his tongue out before popping a flavourful egg in his mouth.

“Kaiba’s a handful,” Joey said. “Though, I think I’m a handful too. We have our ups and downs.”

Yugi raised his eyebrows as he slurped the noodles, encouraging Joey to continue with his statement.

“Well,” Joey thought for a moment as to how to word it all. “When it’s great it’s like, incredible. He’s really great at encouraging me to do stuff I’d never thought possible. I’ve picked up bakin’ again and stuff like that.” Joey continued to eat before continuing. “But sometimes we’re both a little short-fused and forget that we’re in a relationship and we have t’ be a lot more calm and trust each other.”

“Did something happen?” Yugi asked, reading between the lines.

“Last night we got a bit drunk and int’ a fight. I don’t know if it was my fault or his but I think it was mine and I gotta apologise.”

“What was the fight about if you don’t mind me asking,” Yugi asked cautiously.

“Set’s not too keen on me getting sent declarations of love and…well…nudes and stuff from fans.”

“I understand that,” Yugi sympathised. “I think that would be hard, right?”

“But he asked me if I ever like, messaged those fans or anything and I think I took it th’ wrong way. So I walked out and yeah.”

Yugi thought for a moment. “I can see both sides of this problem.” Yugi rested his chopsticks on the holder on the table and interlaced his hands for a moment. “Is there a way you can tell those fans that you find it inappropriate or anything?”

Joey shrugged. “I’ve been told by the media team just to not interact at all coz people are terrible with rejection and will edit your messages to make them look like you’ve said something crazy and put that up online.”

“I see how that could be unsettling,” Yugi said. “Could you get somebody to moderate your messages for you and simply delete those from your inbox before you get your hands on them?”

“Hmmm,” Joey thought. “That’s a pretty neat idea yeah I’m sure there’s somebody like that around.” Joey smiled and finished his ramen in one go. “There’s a reason ya my best friend, Yug.”

Yugi smiled back. “I never thought I’d see the day that I’d be giving you relationship advice with Kaiba.” The pair finished their ramen and left the restaurant with a bow into the muggy side streets of downtown Osaka. “So, what do you want to do now?” Yugi smiled.

“Well, there’s something I gotta do,” Joey checked his phone and smiled. “It’s my apology to Seto. I think he’s gonna love it. Jus’ gotta go down and get it sorted if ya don’t mind comin’ with me.”

“Not at all,” Yugi smiled. “Lead the way.”

 

 

-

 

 

From logistical errors to staff just being plain incompetent, Kaiba’s day had been full of absolute morons. He’d spent more than his weekly allocation of holding his phone in one ear and pacing furiously to set up the arena to his standards, and even now they weren’t quite right. In the past, he would have worked through the early hours, but at 10pm, he accepted he wasn’t getting any further until morning with the team and stormed out with a dramatic flick of his cape while uttering “if it’s not fixed by tomorrow morning someone’s getting fired.”

It had mildly infuriated him too that Joey hadn’t messaged all day, and his mind flip-flopped between frustration and worry for the passed-out corpse he’d left. How stupid does one have to be to get black out drunk in a city that you don’t know? Seto clenched his fists but relaxed into his limo seat as he got chauffeured back to the hotel.

He didn’t get back to his room until almost eleven and was almost apprehensive about entering the room save a disaster waiting for him to get home, but when he opened the door he was in for a surprise instead. Sitting on the pristine bed was a square black box tied with a blue and white ribbon. Etched into the front of the box was his initials, and he looked around for a sign of Joey but it was evident he was there alone. Sitting under the box was a note that simply said “forgive me.”

Forgive him.

Seto held his breath as he delicately pulled on the ribbon and lifted the lid. Underneath was a watch with a strap, with their dragons etched lightly into each leather band, and the clock face was a simple background with tiny Blue Eyes as the clock faces. Seto smiled as he noted the intricate details, feeling a roughness on the metal back. He turned the watch over and read the inscription.

_Every firework begins with one spark._

_J + S. 18/03_

Seto stood there in silence as he traced the starburst beside the date, contemplating his next move. It was truly a fitting quote for a relationship so tremulous, and Seto hadn’t even registered an _official_ date in his mind because he hadn’t even planned on kissing the blonde that night but the way he crawled under his skin in a way that felt so natural was only beginning to become apparent as they spent more time together and became so deeply connected. Thirteen weeks wasn’t a lot of time to get to know someone in a traditional sense, and that was intimidating.

They hadn’t started from the dawn of a relationship though, and it didn’t start like intense fireworks.

Seto sat in the chair by the window looking out over the city sparkle. He had been such an idiot to not realise that he’d been attracted to Joey from the beginning, just not in a sexual way; their souls were bound for each other. Seto screwed up his face at the thought of the word ‘fate’ but what word could describe the way they were magnetic towards each other- how they’d ended up standing at the side-lines of duels watching the Pharaoh beat enemies together, breathing in sync like the plot to a bad movie; or how Joey and Seto would welcome each other’s competition outside of duelling on the tracks at school attempting to outsprint the other while throwing insults as distractions. He’d never put much thought into the blonde’s looks or mannerisms, other than them continuously getting on his nerves but in retrospect that girl they kept hanging out with was way more annoying just tagging along and spouting friendship nonsense, but his attention was always on that idiotic smile and his ears were tuned to his laughter.

Goddamnit they’d have to work on their communication skills though.

Seto put the watch on and dug out his phone. No missed messages or calls, he assumed this was Joey’s peace offering and he needed to make the next move.

_‘I’m back from work. I’m waiting for you.’_

-

 

 

Joey had been sitting in a manga café for the last few hours passing his time between comics and surfing the internet. He’d left the room to give Kaiba his space to react, and although he knew that Seto had said he’d be done by ten but probably meant midnight, it didn’t help him from feeling so antsy. The room had provided him with unlimited free ice-cream and soda which had been a novelty for the first twenty minutes, but his mind kept wandering back to Seto.

The afternoon with Yugi had been enough to keep him occupied, and they’d managed to get the watch custom-made in record time. Joey had felt a little cheeky saying that it was for Seto and that he needed it ASAP, and there had been some incredible favours pulled behind the scenes for a high-profile customer, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Not to mention the artist who drew the dragons he’d then contacted was more than delighted to let him use the image and had insisted he just take it for free, but Joey had paid him a healthy amount regardless.

When he finally got that text message, he sighed in relief and collected his coat and headed into the infinitely quieter Sunday night of downtown Osaka. The manga café had only been about five minutes from the hotel, and if Seto hadn’t invited him back before midnight he would have stubbornly returned, but he felt better that it was on Seto’s terms. After all, Joey was the one who fucked up, right? Or maybe they both had? Joey had decided to not keep score, but just to apologise and listen.

It didn’t stop Joey from being nervous from the minute he walked past the concierge and to the elevators that were big enough to fit cars in them. He rode the elevator up to the top floor and waited for the ding. He pulled his key card out of his wallet and held his breath as he tapped it against the door.

Seto was sitting on the edge of the bed, in just his black leather pants and a navy singlet. Joey noticed wrapped around his skinny wrist was the watch and he let his breath out quietly as to not draw attention to his nervousness.

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

Joey approached Seto, who reached out his watch-cladded hand and pulled him onto the bed beside him. His gaze was piercing but not unkind.

“I’m sorry.”

Seto shook his head. “It was silly. Just _please_ , don’t get blackout drunk in a city you don’t know again.” He shook his head and rolled his eyes. “I would have freaked the fuck out if I hadn’t had found you last night.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry too.” Seto’s apology almost shook Joey to the core, only hearing those words from him a few times during poignant moments. “I didn’t mean to get mad at you last night.”

“I didn’t mean to take it the wrong way.”

Seto brushed Joey’s face softly. “I don’t think I want a world without you, and if that means I have to work on how to communicate better with you then that’s what I’ll do.”

“I don’t want a world without you,” Joey echoed. “I just don’t want ya to ever feel like I’m hiding stuff from you or that I’ve settled or anything coz that’s so far from da truth.”

“I trust you.” Considering Seto’s past, those words scared him more than anything. More than I love you’s. But still, he felt himself believing it as the words settled into the tepid air.

“Come here,” Joey grabbed Seto into a tight hug. “I’ve missed your dorky face. Tell me about your day.”

“I’ll fill you in over coffee. It was a relative non-event. People being useless and delays on the setup, but we’ll get there in the morning. It’ll be an 8am start for both of us.” Seto relaxed into the warm embrace. “I’d rather just talk about us right now.”

“What d’ya wanna say?”

Seto shifted out of Joey’s arms and sat there thinking for a moment, his prepared words had dissipated. “I’m sorry that trust isn’t something that’s as easy for me to come by as it is to you.” Seto touched the watch softly. “And this is such an incredibly thoughtful gift. Did you organise this all today?”

Joey smiled. “Yeah, had some help t’ get it done in a short amount of time, but it was worth it and turned out better than I thought it woulda so as long as you like it I love it.”

“I’ll wear it every day,” Seto said with a faint smile. “But for now, I should take it off and think about getting into bed.”

“D’ya mind if I cuddle with ya until you fall asleep?”

“One, who falls asleep first?” Seto asked with a smirk.

“Hahah,” Joey laughed meekly, taking his coat off.

“And two, is that even a question?” Seto followed, sliding under the covers and welcoming Joey to fit in beside him.


	20. Chapter 20

July.

The months were dragging on deliberately, like they were providing gentle room for introspect. An uneventful tournament in Fukuoka preceded a dreary plane ride home. Joey had performed well as MC, with energy to hype both the crowd and competitors. Another name was in the pool of National finalists. Seto lamented in his thoughts – a far cry from his usual tapping on a laptop and being frustrated at investors.

For all this relationship was worth; for all the times they’d loved, fought, traced every scar on their bodies. For the opportunity to learn more about himself and spend time healing from his past.

Seto swore he wasn’t sentimental, and it was something about Joey’s energy that ignited his core. The same feeling that swept him into unfathomable rages and made him clench his fists when they despised each other, except it was softer; malleable. His stomach twisted in the same way that made him feel physically sick, but instead of recoiling he wanted to run his fingers through those golden strands of hair that brushed his cheek.

Some nights, the ghosts of his past would scream into the white noise – how had they unsuccessfully beaten feelings and attachment out of him despite being so close. So, so close. A lovesick teenager, sitting in a plane wasting precious time, idly tracing his fingers around the inscription on his watch.

_‘Every firework begins with one spark.’_

He heard a disgruntled moan and he looked up to Joey shifting his bodyweight upon the seat in front of him for a few moments before settling again into a slumber. The flight from Fukuoka was only an hour and a half, but Joey was tired as they’d left later than planned and were set to arrive around midnight. The overriding rumble of the plane was only complemented by his light snores.

Seto’s mind continued to wander, between their whirlwind romance, between KaibaCorp, and to his brother’s impending fourteenth birthday which coupled with the Tanabata festival. This week was sure to be eventful, and with the surprise he had waiting for Joey at home, he was certain he was officially back in Joey’s good books, not that Joey’s heart was capable of keeping (un)deserved grudges.

 

 

-

 

 

Sleepily, Joey swayed out of the limousine that carried them from the airport to the mansion, the streetlights glowing bright upon the deep black sky, making his vision lose focus many times over the trip. For some reason, Seto had been acting strange, continuously checking his watch and firing off an abnormal number of text messages for midnight. But between a week’s worth of work and the unlit interior of the limousine, Joey felt himself nodding off before he could quiz Seto on his behaviour.

The limousine gently pulled into the gated driveway and let Seto and Joey out beside the kitchen door out back. Seto gently dismissed him as he carried his suitcase up to their room.

“I think I’m gonna head straight to sleep,” Joey said between a yawn, scruffy hair falling into his eyes. He blinked twice and yawned again for effect.

“Before you do, there’s something in the lounge I’ve got to show you.”

“Can it wait til morning?” Joey yawned again. Seto almost felt bad that he was so exhausted.

“It’s important.”

Joey groaned as he stretched and frowned before heading into the lounge. Initially his eyes didn’t focus, but when they did, he noticed a girl sitting on the couch, bright eyes softly looking back at him.

“S…Serenity?!” Joey exclaimed, his jaw hitting the floor. He wouldn’t have been surprised if there was something fancy like a new KaibaCorp product, or something vaguely romantic, but this was

“You’re late, Joey,” she chided, before giggling and launching into his arms without leaving him time to react.

Mokuba was sitting with her too as they’d been spending time pouring over explicit details of their brother’s love life through a cheesy pizza but bowed and left the room to leave the two to catch up.

Joey’s sleepiness was soon forgotten through pure excitement. He couldn’t pinpoint when he’d last seen his little sister, nor could he believe he was seeing her in her flesh. “What are you doing here?!” He pulled away from her hug to look at her incredulously and pinched himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming.

“I’m here for Tanabata,” she said with a smile. “I’m on summer break right now and mother told me I could come and finally see you, and I thought it would be nice to spend it here in Domino City.”

“Ohmygoodness!” Joey wrapped his arms around his sister, squeezing her tight again.

 

 

-

 

 

Joey and Serenity stayed awake until the early hours of the morning, chatting, showing pictures, and digging into the details of their lives; Serenity’s schooling and friends, Joey’s work and love. It was somewhere around 3am that Joey had passed out on the couch, before waking up and dragging himself to bed. Seto left the room in the morning quietly, letting Joey sleep for as long as he needed, assuming he was exhausted from the Fukuoka tournament, where he had been MC’ing the event. The photos from the event looked incredible, and Joey’s blonde hair shone platinum in the sunlight on top of the arena. His smile lit up the audience. There were unreleased media photos that Seto had kept to himself, where his honeycomb eyes looked confident, and a few coy glances in Seto’s direction when the attention wasn’t on him.

Mokuba emerged from his room as Seto was pouring over the press releases and paparazzi photos in the kitchen over a black coffee. He almost didn’t notice the chair being pulled up beside him, until he heard the clink of the spoon hitting Mokuba’s bowl of cereal.

“Mornin’” Seto said softly, before pressing the button on his phone to turn his screen off.

“Good trip?” Mokuba asked, leaning on his left hand and eating with his right.

“Yeah, nothing too special. It’s getting hot in Fukuoka so we didn’t get out as much as Joey had wanted. Plus, he was exhausted from the work that went into getting him ready to MC.”

“He looked good,” Mokuba said, “like he was born for public speaking.”

“I think his natural charisma, his looks, everything just lends a hand to his success.”

Mokuba smiled to himself. “I’m glad this has all worked out for the better.”

“I admit I’m shocked,” Seto said, staring into his nearly-empty coffee cup. “I thought one of us would end up in a body bag by now.”

“So. Serenity. What’s up with that?”

“Joey had mentioned he hadn’t seen her in a long time,” Seto shrugged. “It’s her birthday tomorrow, she’s turning fifteen. Two teenagers in one week, god help me,” he sighed.

“Aye, shut up,” Mokuba shoved him lightly. “I’m not that bad! My birthday is on Tanabata so it’s not like we weren’t going to have plans anyway. I’m a two-for-one deal, really I’m a blessing.”

 

 

-

 

 

While Mondays were normally for working, Seto had quietly cleared Joey’s commitments, rescheduling filming for a product launch until the week after Serenity’s visit and deleting his alarms on his phone. In a panic, Joey had woken up a little after half past nine, and had rushed downstairs before seeing a note tucked in the back of his phone case saying “you’re on annual leave, I hope you enjoy your time with your sister.”

Joey was both enraged from his mid-morning heart-attack, and delighted to spend every second he could with her.

Serenity was an early riser, Joey noticed, with herself set up in the lounge on her laptop working through some summer homework. Despite classes being over until the beginning of September, University preparation and cram schools didn’t wait for anyone. Serenity had expressed an interest in getting into a prestigious University to study science, but hadn’t decided what branch. She had a green tea pot that was almost empty in front of her, and scribbles of notes in a spiral bound workbook. The air conditioning was set at a consistent sixteen degrees, with sunlight pouring in the high windows and causing her hair to look fiery red, instead of ginger.

“Hey.”

Serenity looked up from her computer and smiled, dimples forming in her cheeks. “Hey, Joey!”

“What do you want to do today?”

Serenity shrugged. “I just want to spend it with you, do you have any suggestions?”

“I can show you my favourite places around the city. There’s a really great bakery close to here that does to-die-for curry bread, and I love the view of Domino from the Ferris Wheel near the sea, but I haven’t been there in a long time.”

“We should go there, then!” Serenity said, enthusiastically, as she packed up her laptop and notes neatly. “Has Kaiba-San told you that tomorrow we’re going to KaibaLand?”

“He didn’t tell me anything!”

She giggled. “Isn’t he mysterious? Well, when he invited me here, he asked if there’s anything I’d like to do, and Mokuba suggested that we go to KaibaLand this week before it gets busy this weekend. Mokuba and Kaiba-San will join us later in the afternoon I think. But other than that, and Saturday for Tanabata, we don’t have any plans.”

“Did he know that tomorrow was your birthday?” Joey asked.

“I don’t know,” Serenity confessed. “I mean, he is literally the richest man in Japan, so I’m sure he has his ways to find these things out, but I don’t know if it was coincidental or on purpose that he chose this week.”

 

 

-

 

 

Joey and Serenity spent hours strolling the esplanade and boutique markets of seaside Domino, Serenity snapping thousands of photos of the cityscape and the sun glistening off the water. It had been a long time since Joey and Serenity had spent time together, just the two of them, without threat of the world collapsing under their feet or psychotic Egyptian powers trying to tear them limb for limb. The sunsets of Domino were breath-taking, and with the peak of summer meant that the pair stayed out until after ten at night.

Joey’s heart had never felt so full. After all the events that had transpired, his mother had forbidden Serenity for spending too much time with Joey. Despite nothing being his fault, she was afraid that Serenity would get caught up in dangerous situations and end up “useless” like Joey.

Joey still didn’t understand his mother’s change of heart but figured that speaking it into existence would rip her away from him again. His only goal was to keep her safe and make her have so much fun that maybe, maybe, she would start to relax as Serenity neared eighteen. After all, she was turning fifteen tomorrow, though she was sensitive and mature beyond her years.

 

 

-  

 

 

“So, what’s up with the family trip to KaibaLand tomorrow?” Joey asked Seto, he lay in bed around midnight, watching Seto shuffle around his room tidying his dry-cleaned suits away and folding his undershirts.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s hardly like you to skip a day of work to come ride a rollercoaster.”

“I assure you that it’s not just a vacation day, and that Mokuba and I have merely scheduled our monthly meeting there for tomorrow morning, to give you and your sister some time alone before we join you in the afternoon.”

“Oh.”

“Mokuba wants to spend some time at the KaibaLand arcade, since he hasn’t spent time there for leisure in a while. I thought it’s a good way to let everybody blow off some steam.”

“Did you know tomorrow is Serenity’s birthday?”

“I was aware, yes,” Seto merely confirmed, shutting his dresser drawer and popping into the bathroom to brush his teeth. After a few minutes he came to bed, putting his phone on charge on the dresser dock, before kissing Joey lightly on the forehead. “Sweet dreams.”

 

 

-

 

 

If you asked Serenity, her birthday was magical. Her favourite one to date, by far.

She woke up to Strawberry pancakes and banana milk. On the kitchen counter was two envelopes with her name, from each of the Kaiba Brothers. Mokuba had gifted her and Joey two all-you-can-game passes for the arcade and games at KaibaLand, and Seto had “merely” gifted her a return airplane ticket to Domino, dates flexible.

“This is insane,” Serenity breathed, grinning. Joey felt unusually embarrassed about being involved with a family so rich that this was probably the equivalent of buying a candy bar, of which he’d even had to second guess mere months ago.

Joey had managed to sneak off during their shopping yesterday to pick up the custom-engraved make-up brush set that he’d ordered for her before he’d gone to Fukuoka. Intending to send it to her overnight, he was glad he could give it to her in person. After watching her study the morning before, he’d also picked up some cute stationary kits, as her pens were beginning to look a little worn out.

“Oh my gosh Joey, these are gorgeous!” she squealed, as she threw herself into his arms and gave him a kiss on his cheek. “You’re so thoughtful!”

He stopped feeling so self-conscious after that, remembering that the curry buns he’d had yesterday were more delicious than the boutique bakeries he’d found on his cross-country travels, and for a fraction of the price. Money didn’t always mean better.

After stopping at the convenience store, just outside of the KaibaLand gates, grabbing sports drinks and mid-morning snacks, the pair entered the park and got gold wristbands, which granted them free rides on every attraction. Joey hadn’t even needed to show ID.

The weather was hot, and the park was mildly busy, but being a Tuesday meant that despite the weather and the number of children off school this week, it was still comparatively quiet. The last time Joey had been at KaibaLand, there was a section of the park under construction, but now that it was open for the summer the crowds were also more spread out, and the longest lines were seen for the waterslides due to it being a temperate twenty-five degrees already.

“Are there any rides you want to go on?”

Serenity’s eyes glistened. “All of them!”

“Including the vertical drop?”

“ _Especially_ the vertical drop.”

So. Joey didn’t realise that under Serenity’s soft-spoken voice and beautiful smile lay an obviously-hereditary wild streak. Although she hadn’t been involved in gangs at fourteen (as far as he knew, anyway) she was way less chicken when it came to rollercoasters. Every time they road one, Joey would grab the safety harnesses or rail, and his knuckles would end up white despite him holding a steady poker-face and pretending he was not scared at all. But it was apparent every time they dropped from a hundred metres in the air, he would scream out of reflex, and she would scream and throw her hands up in delight.

“I want to ride again!” she would exclaim, catching her breath from her giggles.

“Maybe after we grab some lunch, my stomach feels funny!”

“You’re just a chicken,” she goaded, grabbing his hand and dragging him back onto the rides time and time again.

Come time for the Kaiba Brothers to be finished their meeting, Joey looked a little worse-for-wear, while Serenity was still beaming, and possibly a little more excitable from their lunchtime sugar rush.

“She kicking your ass, Wheeler?” Seto asked, goading him.

“He just can’t handle it,” she pressed as Joey shot them both an evil glare.

“Should I replace him for a bit and let him rest?” Mokuba asked, obviously excited to get onto some rollercoasters after the boring meeting about sales targets and merchandising objectives that had slowly eaten its way into the precious afternoon. Without waiting for an answer, the pair had grabbed each other’s hands and raced towards the largest rollercoaster in the park.

“Those two, I swear to god,” Joey muttered.

 

 

-

 

 

Friday came quicker than Seto had wanted, and he had to acknowledge that his little brother had just turned fourteen, and was becoming a little more rebellious each revolution around the sun.

Joey hadn’t known what to get Mokuba, and when talking to Seto, Seto had promised he’d gotten something from them both, and to just _trust_ him, that Mokuba would be given his real present later in the day. But his first present was full control of the activities before the group ended up at Tanabata in the evening, so naturally, Mokuba’s first thought was sugar-loading himself because Seto couldn’t tell him off and lecture him about cavities.

His birthday began with homemade waffles, and a basket of Melon bread (that he was told to ration, but Seto knew that it wasn’t going to last the weekend). There were the ones from the convenience store that he’d become addicted to, and expensive ones from famous bakeries all around. The first ones to be demolished were the cheapest, and Joey couldn’t help but let out a snicker.

Before they left home, Mokuba made everybody think about their Tanabata wishes, writing his down on a piece of ice-blue paper and tucking it neatly into his pocket to tie onto a bamboo branch while they were out in the morning.

Mokuba’s second stop of the day was the city park, teeming with children playing under sprinklers, and families holed up under trees with picnic blankets and homemade bento boxes. Before the entrance of the park was a bamboo branch covered in the city’s wishes for prosperity and love. Mokuba confidently tied his wish, while Seto mused for a moment before scrawling something quickly and tying it as high out of reach as he could.

Initially Joey was surprised that such a rich kid would want something as simple as spending the day outside in the sun, but with Mokuba’s summers overwhelmingly stuck inside meeting rooms, it soon became apparent that Mokuba was still just a simple teenager underneath it all. Joey entertained his enthusiasm for frozen treats, exclaiming that he was going to get “one of everything, with extra sprinkles!”

Opposite the ice-cream cart, Serenity was sitting on the shaded bench, lollipop in one hand. Seto silently sat beside her, watching Mokuba and Joey over animate in the line. As if Mokuba needed a second helping of sugar following the pancakes.

Serenity looked content in her silence, hair waving gently in the breeze, and Seto didn’t know how to strike up conversation. The last time they’d talked, it wasn’t on the greatest of terms, with Joey nearly drowning in the harbour.

A lump formed in Seto’s throat and he felt dizzy. Was that _guilt_?

“Thank you for letting me stay at your place,” Serenity said, breaking the silence, with a smooth flick of her gorgeously long hair over her shoulder. She was the antithesis of Joey when you looked once; polite and presentable, but a glimmer of mischief twinkled in her iris.

“Don’t mention it,” Seto shrugged it off, feeling a tightness in his chest, continuing to look forward as he focussed on his breathing. In. Out.

She propped her arm on the bench between the pair, and turned her body to face Seto, rolling the lollipop between her lips before popping it out. “Why are you dating my brother?” Her voice was sickly-sweet like the lollipop, but it was merely masking a heavy underlying accusation.

Seto felt her aura suffocating him, and he fought to breathe enough air to answer. “We started to like each other.” He continued to avert his gaze, letting her win. For a barely-fifteen-year-old, she was powerful.

“You’re not using him?”

“I assure you, it’s consensual.”

“What came first?”

“What do you mean by that?”

She raised her eyebrows, before over-enunciating the words “dating or sex.”

Seto was shocked, and shifted uncomfortably in the bench, knowing that his a lack of an answer was as good as saying “sex” anyway.

“I knew it,” she popped her lollipop back in. “Look, you seem to be making him happy. He was gushing the other night talking about you. But, mark my words.” She punctuated each one with her index finger. “I’m just wanting to know that my brother is being looked after.” Her hair fell in her eyes ominously. “Because, cliché’s say, it’s always the older brothers protecting their younger sisters,” she stood up, before quickly leaning into his personal space for just a moment more. “But, I don’t need looking after. He’s the one with the pure heart, so you better not fuck that up.”  

Seto’s throat dried up, his heart beating fast, and her aura suffocating him. “I assure you that’s not my intention.”

“Cool,” she pushed away, before shrugging and returning to the same innocent smile she’d had when she sat down. “No hard feelings, right? Just needing to make sure he’s as much a priority for you as you are for him.”

 

 

-

 

 

The third plan for the day was to return home and get into their yukata for the Tanabata festival happening at the river that ran near the central business district. Joey had owned a tattered yukata before he’d moved out of home, but had been gifted with a new one silently, with stitching in a fine gold weaving through a blood-red fabric. It was the first time Joey had seen Seto in anything so casual, noting that his crisp-white yukata tied with a royal purple obi was off-brand from his normal blue. It made him look vulnerable in a way, contrasting the slight pink blush in his cheeks that was normally unseen.

Mokuba looked mature in his deep blue and black – a colour that was becoming trendier with the younger crowd. But Joey nearly lost it when Serenity met them downstairs, hair done professionally by someone Seto had hired as a second part of her birthday, with a summery pink pattern on her yukata. Joey’s voice waivered as he choked back a tear, telling her she looked “stunning.” She struck a peace-sign pose and winked, as if she hadn’t been anything but sweet all day.

The town festival stretched kilometres of the riverbank, selling candy apples and having festival games. Mokuba went to town on the yoyo fishing and shooting games, winning a small plush for Serenity. Joey and Seto hung back watching the excitable, and in this moment very young, teenagers having the time of their lives in the evening sun.

“I just can’t deal with the fact that she’s growing up. She looks so mature, but she’s still got that childhood innocence…” Joey mused quietly to Seto.

“It kind of kills you that you never got to experience it,” Seto added.

The warm air that brushed Joey’s cheeks felt a little cold and his heart felt heavy. Though their barriers were breaking down, there were still things they didn’t talk about in detail. Joey just kinda wished that he could hug Seto there and make it all go away, but the sounds of Taiko drums started up in the distance and snapped him back to the luminescent lanterns and crowd chatter as the evening slipped into night.

On the cusp of dusk, crowds gathered near the river to begin sending lit lanterns towards the sea. After all, the whole purpose of Tanabata was to reunite lovers once a year before the stars separated Orihime and Hikoboshi again.

Seto thought it was a little ironic that the story of Tanabata intrinsically twisted into his own if he looked hard enough.

Mokuba and Serenity were talking, giggling, holding hands as they lit a lantern down the river first, the glow from the candle illuminating their faces.

“In another timeline, we’d probably be in-laws.”

Joey laughed uncontrollably. “Well, it’s probably a good thing we’re in this timeline where we like each other then.” He too then lit a lantern and watched it sail down the river towards the last glow of the pink and orange sky as the sun went to sleep.

Serenity ushered the couple over to the riverbank to get a good spot, rolling out a picnic blanket onto the grass, and unwrapping some mochi she’d purchased earlier in the night, sharing it around. Mokuba had also bought snacks and laid them between the four, babbling away on his sugar high about how this had been the “best birthday ever” and that spending time with Seto was worth more than a gift. Joey understood it then.

The air was still twenty degrees, so being under the stars wasn’t uncomfortable. Along the river the lights were dimmed so the constellations could be mapped out. A maiden from a nearby shrine was handing out guides and asking kids if they could see any of the famous ones, and Mokuba and Serenity poured over it, pointing out strong twinkles above.

“Hey,” Joey whispered to Seto, who was staring at the water ripples.

“Hm?”

“I love you,” Joey whispered in his ear, kissing him inconspicuously on his temple before turning away. Seto was glad the darkness hid his blush. The innocence of their siblings and the spirituality from the festival warm but heavy, leaving him speechless. The only thing he could think to do was kiss Joey back under the fireworks at midnight, daring himself to not let go, and especially to not fuck up something so delicate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Serenity doesn't seem to have a canonical birthday. While some sources say November, others have said July. For the sake of this story, I believe her and Mokuba have summer birthdays together.


	21. Chapter 21

“You know,” Serenity said, sitting at the counter in the kitchen over a glass of apple juice and cereal, “I had my reservations about our brothers.”

“Tell me about it,” Mokuba shook his head. “Was there ever a time that you just _knew_ though?”

Serenity tapped manicured nails on the countertop. “I had an inkling that something was up with the way Joey looked at him during Battle City during their bronze battle. It wasn’t the same way he’d ever looked at Yugi when he’d duelled.”

“I was thinking the exact same thing! Seto looked at him and smiled. _Smiled_.” Mokuba buttered his fruit toast with a grin on his face. “Has Joey told you what happened? Who kissed who? All that kinda stuff?”

“Not one word! All I know is they got together _after_ they hooked up. Joey was so vague with details, but I asked your brother straight out and he tried to dance around it.”

“I have a secret. Seto doesn’t know this, but I caught them sneaking around a while before they came clean about it. It was during a movie night here when all their friends were over. Suddenly, they were both gone off the couch. I got up to go to the bathroom and they were sneaking up the staircase together, checking behind them every five seconds thinkin’ they were being smart.”

Serenity clasped her mouth with one hand. “Shut up!”

“That’s not the only time I caught them. One night, Seto was acting all shifty. He was in a good mood, he ordered me a pizza and headed quickly upstairs. Well, I didn’t know Joey was there, but he _was_. He snuck out of Seto’s room and I caught him leaving on the security system.”

“Scandalous!” Serenity shrieked giggling. “I can’t believe it. I honestly can’t. That’s hilarious!”

“You want more?” Mokuba asked, Serenity nodded enthusiastically. “Well, has Joey shown you photos of his ball night?”

“Yes! He looked so good.”

“Seto paid for his suit.”

“WHAAAAT?!” Serenity spluttered on her apple juice. “You’re kidding!?” She wiped tears from the corner of her eyes once she’d stopped coughing.

Mokuba passed over his phone, with a screenshot of the accounts owing from Suits You. “Why does he need a tailored suit in Black and Red? He certainly hasn’t worn it, and this was ordered the week before the ball. The very same suit that Joey also wore for the Arena Demonstration. I got suspicious after I found a photo of him in Seto’s desk upstairs. Just took a little digging was all.”

Serenity got up from her chair and rinsed her cup before getting water. “I’m honestly _so_ scandalised. And impressed with your detective work, Master Kaiba.” She flicked her auburn hair over her shoulders, combing it through her fingers. “I wonder when it all started then. I wonder who kissed who first? I bet it was Joey,” she mused. “He’s the type to say how he feels.”

“I bet it was Seto,” Mokuba refuted. “I mean, he was the one who kissed Joey on stage too.”

“It _was_ Seto,” Joey said, interrupting the shrieking between the younger teens. “I’m glad our love life is so interesting to you.”

“How long have you been there?!” Serenity blushed, hiding her face.

“Long enough to tell you that while there are plenty of secrets and details we’d like to keep t’ just us, I might accidentally let slip that Seto kissed me at the ball AFTER I admitted that I had a crush on him. Naturally, we’d been drinking spiked punch and alcohol lowers your inhibitions, blah blah blah. The rest is history.” Joey grabbed the second slice of fruit toast from Mokuba’s plate. “And you, my sweet, sweet child, might want to keep ya snooping on your brother a minimum lest he find out.” Joey settled into the kitchen counter. “’Ren, what time is your flight tomorrow?”

“Uh, it’s at 1:15 tomorrow afternoon,” she checked on her phone. “And then I’ll be back in two weeks for your finals. Pretty wild!”

“Wild that you two’ll be rooting for different teams come the finals?”

“You still have to win the semi-finals,” Mokuba ribbed. “You been working on that strategy?”

Joey winked. “The only reason I’m datin’ your brother is so I can get in his head and steal his Duel Monsters strategies.”

“Yeah, yeah. Nothing to do with your feelings. Nothing to do with the fact that he sets your heart on fire.”

“Or your sheets!” Serenity squealed as Joey launched himself towards her, running out the back door giggling as Joey tried to catch her.

 

 

-

 

 

The last day of Serenity being in Domino City called for an outing in the afternoon – Seto had promised to stay out of office during Mokuba’s “birthday weekend” every year and he’d suggested that they all get out as a “family.” Seto had cringed a little at the word but had simply agreed to drive them to a lake an hour away from home and rent some kayaks at Mokuba’s request.

Joey took ample photos of the scenery on the journey, including begging, with Mokuba, to stop at the waterfall atop a beautiful windy road. Twenty selfies later, and pictures ready to upload later online, they were back in the car.

“Perfect spot for a proposal,” Mokuba whispered to Serenity in the back, who burst into a fit of laughter. When Joey asked what they were talking about, he shrugged and said he’d just made an inside joke, receiving a full minute of disapproving stares that Mokuba merely shrugged off.

The lake was crystal and the weather was touching thirty degrees outside. Joey raced ahead with Mokuba to the kayak hire shed, getting life jackets and two boats. “How do we split up?” Joey asked. “Siblings together?”

“Sure!” Serenity shot Mokuba a wink. “I don’t know if I trust you to not capsize me, but I hope you’d keep your beautiful sister dry!”

“And she’s modest too, Wheeler,” Seto’s voice rumbled, making the hairs on Joey’s arms stand on end from shivers. He’d just changed into shorts for the water, and Joey couldn’t help but drink in his pale legs.

Strapped into their lifejackets and heading out to the water, Seto and Mokuba sped off smoothly, pulling the oars well in sync. It took Joey a minute to stop going around in circles in his, splashing Serenity and apologising profusely before they worked out how to row in sync.

“Honestly Joey,” Serenity said as she tried to keep pace with his rowing, “this has been the best birthday yet! I don’t know how you’re going to top it next year.”

Joey smiled, keeping his eyes ahead, watching for shallow rocks. The water was so clear he could see schools of salmon swimming towards the river mouth. “I am so happy ya came.”

Birds were chirping as they idly chit-chatted, rowing towards a bamboo forest, stems reaching to the heavens around them. “You know, I wasn’t sure if you and Kaiba were a great idea at first, but you seem to be happier than you have been since well, we got split up.”

“God Serenity, I really like him. He looks at me like I’m the only person in the world in a room where there’s thousands.” Joey babbled, glad he wasn’t looking at her as he lost his composition. “I can’t explain it. He’s so extra an’ everyone thinks I’m crazy. I think I’m crazy. He has technology that talks t’ him when he enters a room and tells him he’s a fuckin’ genius. He _is_ a genius. I think he told me he knows like five languages _fluently_. He fires entire teams in the snap of his fingers. He can be such an ass when he’s stressed about work or whatever. But underneath it all it’s as simple as this. He just a teenager who’s had so much shit to deal with and who fights for a better future for him and Mokie. I love him, Ren. I really, really do.”

She smiled to herself as she watched the water shimmer with sunlight peeking through the bamboo. “I’m glad he makes you happy, Joey. I hope he can keep making you happy.” She dropped her oar down on her lap and wrapped her arms around Joey’s waist. “You know, Mokuba and I were talking about how you’ve got your own apartment that I haven’t even seen. Do you even stay there?”

Joey muttered a “not really.”

“Mokuba wouldn’t mind having you in the mansion full time if you guys have thought about it. I know it’s early in your relationship, what, a couple of months?”

“Four. I think we’ve agreed that ball night is our anniversary…” Joey muttered back.

“Oh, four?” Joey nodded. “But you guys haven’t exactly been traditional. It’s not like it’s first meeting to moving in in four months, you guys have been flirting with each other for years.”

“No, we haven’t you rascal!”

“Oh yes you have! You don’t think Mokuba and I didn’t notice your goo-goo eyes at him during Battle City? You can trick your friends, but you can’t trick your siblings.”

“I’ll flip this boat!”

Serenity shrieked as he started rocking the boat, bursting in to hysterical giggling.

 

 

-

 

 

It was closing in on 10pm by the time the crew had gotten back to shore and headed to a freshwater seafood restaurant hidden off the main road on the drive back to Domino. Miraculously, Joey hadn’t sunk the boat, and Mokuba and Seto had managed to have a conversation of similar vein, except Seto had just told Mokuba he was insane and had stayed tighter-lipped on probing into their relationship.

In the car-ride home, Mokuba and Serenity exchanged their LINE profiles and messaged each other scheming, vowing to become best friends and best wingmen. Mokuba confirmed that he’d also planted the seed in Seto’s head that Joey was merely wasting his money pretending to have an apartment in the city when he hadn’t slept there in…he couldn’t recall when he’d last slept there between staying at Seto’s and travelling.

“I’m heading to bed!” Serenity exclaimed when they got home.

“I’m going for a shower!” Mokuba also jetted up the stairs, giving their older brothers ample breathing room after being attached to their hips for the last few nights.

“I’m going grey!” Joey called up after the pair, met with giggles floating back down the stairs.

“They certainly are a handful.”

“A fun handful,” Joey said as he pulled off his shoes at the back door and put on his house slippers. “Right. I’m gonna go to the bathroom and then do some baking.”

“Any occasion?” Seto asked, instinctively tucking some hair behind Joey’s ear, causing him to shiver.

“Can’t let Serenity go home without a care package for her and ma.”

“Do you still talk to your mother?” Seto asked.

“Nah, but it’s the thought that counts. I want to leave that line of communication open for ‘Ren’s sake.” Joey popped away and Seto sat down at the kitchen counter, not wanting to pull himself away. He promised Mokuba the whole weekend – that meant nights too away from work. He spent a little time scrolling through his phone though, catching up on Duel Monsters news, and looking at Joey’s social media, where pictures of their trip, including one with all four – Mokuba and Serenity grinning and Seto scowling - came with the caption “happiness is”.

“What are you going to make her?” Seto asked as Joey pulled ingredients out of the cupboard after turning the oven on to preheat.

“Nothin’ too fancy. Jus’ cupcakes. She’ll freak out. I haven’ made cupcakes for years for her.” Joey began making a whirlwind of a mess, haphazardly throwing approximations into the measuring cups without a recipe. “D’ya wanna help?”

“What do you want me to do?”

“I’ll get ya to put these cupcake liners in th’ muffin tins, an’ then I’ll get ya to mix some colours into these bowls here, so I can ice em!” Joey grabbed out sprinkles and other decorations from the cupboard. He threw used dishes into the sink as he finished putting the mix into the tins. “Hey, can ya come here?” Joey asked, hiding an impish smile. Seto turned around and got assaulted by the wooden spoon, smearing batter on his face and in his hair.

“Joseph Wheeler,” Seto growled. “Did you do that on purpose!?”

Joey bit his tongue and smiled shyly. “Mayyyybe.”

In a whirlwind, there broke out a fight in the kitchen, wrestling each other to the ground as they threw flour at each other, Seto cracked and egg onto Joey’s skull and smeared it into his hair. Joey grabbed the water pitcher by the sink and poured it over Seto, shirt slick against his skin as they heaved for breath before launching in again. Pausing for another breath they looked at each other, and Seto started laughing. Genuinely cracking up on the floor in the slurry of baking mess with flour caked onto his cheeks and water dripping off his hair. Joey wiped his hand over Seto’s lips before kissing him, pressing him into the cupboards against the counter island, only breaking away when the timer on the oven dinged. He got up, slipping a little, realising there was no way he wasn’t going to leave a trail of cupcake mix on the way to the bathroom for a shower.

“Hey Seto, you got a bit of flour on you. Might wanna wash that off.” Joey jested, checking the cupcakes and putting the icing into bags.

“Hey Joey, you’ve made a mess of my kitchen,” Seto shot back, snaking his messy hands around Joey’s waist under his shirt. “What are you going to do about that?”

“Call your maid,” Joey replied with a snort. “You threw the first flour, I have no responsibility.”

Joey left the cupcakes on a rack to cool for a few minutes as he cleaned his dishes and counter tops, looking in dismay at the floor before grabbing a mop out from the pantry.

“You don’t have to,” Seto muttered.

“I made the mess too.” Joey waved his hand in dismissal. “I’d feel terrible if the kids got up and it was still messy.”

The cupcakes had sufficiently cooled by the time he was done cleaning, still a mess himself though. Seto watched in awe as Joey concentrated, drawing flowers with icing pipes, decorating the glittery edible stars and rainbows with tweezers.

“Alright! That should be them. I’ll put them in a carry container and hide them.” Joey made sure there was no tell-tale sign of baking minus the vanilla scent in the air before grabbing Seto’s hand and dragging him upstairs. “Come on, we need to shower. Baking is harder work than ya give it credit for!”

Seto ran a bath while Joey got into the shower first to rinse off. Once they were clean of their baking fiasco, they both sunk into the bath, jets bubbling against their backs in opposite corners. “I could get used to this,” Joey sighed as it massaged his stiff shoulders from rowing.

“When all is said and done, we are Japanese after all. The ritual of bathing is in our blood.” Seto rested his head back and closed his eyes.

“Hey, I had fun today. Thank you.” Joey closed his eyes too.

Seto just hummed in agreement. “I understand your sister had a conversation with you about moving in.”

Joey cleared his throat. “I’m guessin’ Mokuba had the same conversation.”

“Mmm.”

“Do ya want to talk ‘bout it on the way to Sapporo?” Joey asked. “Bit late for chat. My brain is mush.”

“As you wish.”

 

 

-

 

 

Despite the romance slowly creeping into their lives, there was still plenty of sex happening. With Seto in bed earlier than normal, he expected to be up early too, but he’d been slowly slipping towards a healthy sleep schedule when he wasn’t demanded in the office or dealing with international conference calls. Some mornings, like Sunday morning, they would stir around 6:30am, look at the clock, and sigh before Joey would come and snuggle against Seto’s back, nose buried into the longest parts of his hair. Slowly, hands would intertwine, bodies would push into the other, and one would move to notice the erection sitting against Seto’s thigh.

Usually it ended with somebody – if not both – needing a morning shower too. Sometimes it happened in the shower if they were a little more strapped of time. Joey held his hand over Seto’s mouth with his left hand, reminding him that they didn’t want to advertise to the rest of the household, as he would get to work with his right. Once they were ready, one of them would go down to the kitchen and make a coffee. To avoid Mokuba’s smartass grin, they knew that parading down the stairs together was sure to raise eyebrows, even though he’d just have to get used to it all.

Mokuba and Serenity were up late that Sunday morning, wiped out from the rowing, sure, but more likely because they stayed up past midnight messaging each other frantically from bed after Mokuba had gone downstairs to get a glass of water but slipped back up with photographic evidence of their brother’s mess in the kitchen. The baking no longer a surprise, the teens squealed through use of stickers and memes that their brothers were becoming more than just a little bit in love.

Joey accompanied Serenity back to the airport shortly after lunch, making sure to hand her the cupcakes. She squealed and hugged Joey, excited that he’d remembered after all this time how much she loved his baking when they were kids, even when he was just experimenting and burning the bottoms of muffins. “You’re going to have to impress me in a couple of weeks again. I have high expectations of you, Joey!”

“Love you, ‘Ren!” He kissed her on her temple and waved goodbye, holding the picture of her in his wallet close to his heart. As he travelled home he remembered that they’d taken Purikura together at KaibaLand. He sat in the back of the limo (it was weird, riding in a limo by himself!) comparing the pictures. Serenity was still the same as she was when they’d been separated, but also so fiercely independent now, too. He couldn’t put into words how proud of her he was.

And how much of a shit-stirrer her and Mokuba were when they came together to plot against them. Serenity was turning out to be exactly like Joey, if he hadn’t spent his time in the streets at her age.

Mokuba had gotten permission to skip the last week of school before summer break (translation: he’d begged and pleaded and finished all his summer homework before the holidays even began) and come along to Sapporo, on the premise that he was doing more work behind the scenes of the tournament. Seto was almost ready to hand over all tournament and event responsibility onto him. The agreement was that if he kept an A average in school, Seto would slowly filter more work to him and take on more direct projects.

If Seto was being candid, he was over pulling all the weight himself and had enjoyed being much more hands-on with his technology, and a lot less reliant of teams of thousands of staff to waste man-hours that he could personally oversee. Creating products wasn’t just the intrinsic programming knowledge, as much as it was thinking about marketability, user friendliness, and price points. He had entire teams for that but could analyse the market – he _was_ the theoretical market – without batting an eye.

A lot had changed after all that Egyptian stuff, and after he stopped feeling like he had so much to prove to a man that wasn’t even around anymore. And six hours extra a day where he didn’t have to bow down to school expectations, or have assignments handed in before wasting time in limousines back to his office meant the was so much more clear-headed, and efficient to boot.

It almost scared him to think that Joey might have been the catalyst for these changes. If he’d continued working full time after school without stimulation (good, or bad, he wasn’t sure what they’d balanced to during their school years after all the fighting hadn’t driven them off, rather had kept them coming back competitively for more) from somebody who was willing to get into his personal space without fear of consequence, he’d be much more tyrannical, and much less willing to let even Mokuba in, let alone a blond-haired brat dragged in from the streets.

But Joey wasn’t just any blond-haired brat. And it made Seto nervous.

“Dude, you alright?” Joey had asked as they boarded their own flight, noticing Seto kept staring out towards the tarmac.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Ya just bein’ a space case,” Joey shuffled into the seat right beside him, despite having bountiful room to spread out. Mokuba had taken a seat down the other end of the plane, headphones in a portable console like a typical teenager.

“Is our relationship important to you?”

Joey blinked twice. “Uh. Yes? I don’t know why ya’d think otherwise?”

“I’m just making sure that neither of us are being swept up in the luminosity of it all.”

“Yeah, ya eyes are just so sparkly it makes me forget what I was talkin’ about.” Joey reached up to play with Seto’s hair. “I don’t know how many times I’ll need ta say this over our life, but it’s not a game ta me. I take our relationship, your happiness, my happiness, all that shit seriously. I’m happy ta be a rival to ya. Make you furious with me. Make ya laugh til ya cry or cry til ya laugh. But man, if I could see who you are outside of being my boyfriend and like ya then, and now you’re all wonderful to me now which is so nice. So nice.” Joey touched Seto’s nose. “I promise that I’ll communicate with ya, listen to ya, come to ya when things aren’t makin’ me happy or feel comfortable or safe.”

“Okay.” Seto sunk into the seat, not realising how stiff he’d been holding his shoulders. “I was just confirming.”

“I get it, babe. I totally get it. How are ya to trust that not every fucker out there, includin’ me, just wants ya paycheck or ya fame, or to break ya from the inside. Dude. You know so much dirt on me too. You could bury a body and nobody would be any the wiser. I should be scared of you rippin’ me limb from pretty limb if I cross _your_ path.”

With that, Seto finally laughed. “You’re ridiculous, Wheeler.”

“Ridiculously yours.”

“Are you cancelling your lease?”

Joey cocked his head. “Huh, I mean, is this an invitation? Like I know we’ve talked ‘bout this before but…”

“It wouldn’t be anything dissimilar to what’s been going on recently.”

“Hmmm. I don’t want t’ freeload off you though.”

Seto grabbed Joey’s hand and stared out the window as they took off into the peach sunset. “It’s not freeloading if there is no benefit for either of us to you paying rent in a place you aren’t even inhabiting.”

“Sure, but like, I don’t want ya paying for me to stay at ya mansion or whatever. I need ta contribute.”

“Naturally, but there is no point in contributing financially.”

Joey shook his head and made Seto look back at him. “Look man, I ain’t sittin’ on a thousand extra dollars a month. I am not like that.”

“Hmmm.” Seto tapped his finger on his armrest. “How about this. I write up a contract. You pay me directly that amount of money, if, and only if, your day-to-day expenses come to less than the remainder of your income. What I will do in exchange is guarantee that I will save that money for you.” Joey tried to cut in but Seto continued. “If, for whatever reason, our relationship fails, I want you to be able to survive and have a good life. And, when you’re ready, you can use this money towards furthering your passions or careers, be it university, training, or travel that broadens your mind.”

Joey thought about it for a while.

“You are still welcome to bake me things whenever you’d like, or help with Mokuba, or those things that matter that I wouldn’t do for myself to help ‘pay your way,’” he emphasised with air marks.

“That sounds almost fair,” Joey mused. “I think I can live with that.”

“Excellent.”

 

 

-

 

 

Sapporo, being the last regional tournament, came and went in a flash. Joey watched as Mokuba took charge, wearing a deep purple blazer with a shirt underneath with gold threading that said, “because I said so.” He pointed to it many times while organisers tried to put up a fight. “I’ll call Seto over if you need to make sure, but I assure you, I’ve done this before. I could do this in my sleep!” Organisers tended to back down the minute Seto was brought up, and Seto just reassured Mokuba that it would be like that for a long time, but the organisers would become old men in boardrooms with the same tenure pretending like a teenager can’t have his wits about him.

Joey was busy too though. Not only was he in charge of general promotion, but behind-the-scenes he’d been called in to work on finalising fits and the delayed photoshoots for merch that he’d been working on for the Domino Finals, like all regional winners had. Except, because Joey was directly hired by KaibaCorp, he was also involved in a few designs for a personal line, including one variation which proceeds were going to an LGBTQ+ charity that was sure to upset parts of the media. It was black, with rainbow font that said “I won’t apologise for who I am.”

One location was a field of flowers, grown in neat rows of different colours. Joey left that photoshoot sneezing from pollen. Another was seaside by a lighthouse, getting incredible shots of waves crashing against rocks as the wind picked up before rain suddenly poured, and by pure luck, the sun shone through and they got photos with a strong rainbow background. Like the gods were telling him that everything was right.

Joey was a natural model, happy to be silly in front of the camera too. Leaning down to sniff the flowers instead of listening to directions got his favourite shot from the first location and standing against the lighthouse with his heel against the building like all he needed to complete his badass posture was a cigarette, but instead he winked as the sun shone through his hair.

“Don’t I look cute?” Joey asked, showing the previews to Seto in their hotel room after swinging by a nearby ice-cream shop. Hokkaido was famous for creamy ice-cream and Joey had affirmed that he wasn’t leaving without having it at least twice.

“Incredible,” Seto remarked, and Joey wasn’t sure if he meant the ice-cream or himself, but he took the compliment anyway.


	22. Chapter 22

Joey spread himself out on the library floor, plethora of Duel Monsters cards at his fingertips. His own deck was spread on the table, and he was reviewing notes from the other four Regional Champions. He wasn’t dumb – he realised more was on the line than ever. Sure, when they were younger their life was on the line with all the Egyptian magic and things he could swear now were just dreams and disassociations unless someone else brought them up, but then, Joey wasn’t sure if he even cared about being alive. He wouldn’t have been missed if he didn’t end up going home.

Now, life was more than just duelling. There was hope for him to heal and reclaim the teenage years he’d spent hungry and worrying with the most unpredictable person by his side. Still gobsmacked with how the months had panned out, Seto Kaiba had made for an incredibly easy transition into a comfortable life where he wasn’t stuck on just the first tier of Maslow’s hierarchy.

It wasn’t just his job that depended on these duels either – he’d been reminded that an underdog is still as marketable as a winner with a smile slapped on his face and a few catchphrases, but Joey needed to meet Seto in the finals and finally, finally prove that he was worthy to stand alongside him as a duellist and a partner. Seto had _changed_. He was still hardworking, assertive, and cocky, but also so incredibly malleable. Joey had spent many nights wondering if he merely had the right combination to the safe that was his heart, or if his lack of friends was just a mask to stop himself from getting hurt again. Nobody could have predicted that Seto would be so receptive to “I love you’s” and kisses on his lips. To fingers through his hair. Seto had the most beautiful eyes when he smiled – Joey’s heart soared every time he could confirm that fact. He still pulled away from time to time, and pretended like he was better than simple romance, but Joey knew better and kept prodding until Seto would smile or kiss him back.

“What are you doing?” Seto asked as he cracked open the door, bringing two cups of black coffee into the library, sitting seiza at the table as Joey flicked through another album of cards.

“Strategising.” Joey inhaled the earthy smell as he took a sip of the coffee and pulled a card out, looking at it closely.

“Do you need help?”

“And fraternise with the enemy? I don’ think so, Kaiba. Gotta beat ya fair and square.” Joey wrote down some notes, placing the card in his “maybe” pile; a pile for each of his finalist opponents. Seto linked his hands together, placing his elbows on his thighs and resting his chin on them, watching Joey pull out another list, cross cards off, and highlight two cards to swap out.

“A different strategy for each of em. I’ve watched their duels, they’re predictable. But, my deck sure ain’t structured to win against em if I’m predictable too. Normally I’d just go in guns blazin’ but like, I wanna, desperately, beat you in the finals.” Joey explained, tapping his fingernails on the desk as Seto just kept watching in silence.

“And I want to beat you in the finals. You need to be a second-rate duellist to me only, not a third-rate duellist to some kid whose name I only know now.” Seto grabbed his coffee. “But, that being the case, I’ll leave you to it.” He rose up gracefully and left Joey’s chaos downstairs, trudging up to his office upstairs to crack open his own deck. Joey took in his long, long legs, thanking whatever Egyptian God that would hear him for letting him have something so incredibly precious.

Thumbing his Blue Eyes, Seto reached over to his phone, dialling a number he hadn’t called on for a personal favour in a long time.

“Ooh, hello, Kaiba. What a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“I wish I could say the same, Pegasus.”

 

 

-

 

 

The Domino finals consisted of heats; with five contestants before the final match with Seto Kaiba the mathematics wasn’t as clean cut as getting to a final four. The first round consisted of two matches each, randomly paired. At the end of those rounds, those with the most points overall – a point per win – would move to the next round, until there was just one person left to take on the finals on the Friday night.

The plan was that Wednesday was the opening day, with Joey’s first matches at 1pm and 5pm, against Momo from Fukuoka, a punk girl with a sleeve of tattoos, and then Fujikawa, coming from Tokyo. The finalists between the matches had scheduled fan signings, media interviews, and general milling about for an hour before their next match to get back in the headspace and get fed.

Serenity had flown back into Domino that Monday night to watch the finals, and Mokuba had promised to let her backstage with him. They were both excitable, especially Serenity who didn’t have a performing role. Mokuba was set to MC most of the event. Joey had learned the pair had continued furiously messaging over the time Serenity had been back home.

Tuesday had been full-on for Joey, waking at six, office by seven to prepare his media release for his merchandise, quality checking his order for the arena, and watching his name go up on a billboard alongside the other finalists with their shirts. On set, Joey had gotten into conversation with Momo, who he’d had a brief time talking with after he’d MC’d the Fukuoka event, and they’d bonded over a shared disdain for Japan’s homogeneity. “Well, fuck me, you’re the poster child for pride now. How does that feel?” she asked, pushing herself against the brick wall where they’d just shot their photographs in a desolate carpark building with talented graffiti splayed on the walls, pulling a cigarette out of her jacket pocket. “Want one?”

Joey shrugged and pulled one out anyway, watching her nonchalance and finding her demeanour fascinating. Yoshi from Osaka grabbed one off her too and joined in the conversation, while Fujikawa stayed in his own bubble, and Meri from Sapporo took another set of photographs for her online with her best friend that she’d brought. “It’s pretty strange, yeah.” Joey admitted between an inhale. “Like, even shit like this ya gotta be aware that people are watchin’ ya, waiting for ya to slip up when I’m still a teenager like you guys.”

Momo rolled her tongue piercing against her lips. “Aye. You just gotta do what you do, and they’ll like it or leave it. Right dude?”

“What’s it like hooking up with Kaiba?” Yoshi asked with an eyebrow raised.

“Wow, the hard-hittin’ questions.” Joey giggled, blowing smoke out of his nose. “Probably better than I expected anyway. Not givin’ away too much though, don’t want you stealin’ my man.”

“Everything you say about him in the interviews true then?”

Joey laughed. “What, that I like him a lot? That he’s still my top rival regardless? Yeah. We moved in together for real too.”

“That seems like it’s gone fast,” Momo flicked her ash on the pavement. “But I suppose you haven’t just been dating for a few months like the magazines think.”

“Well, we _have_ just been datin’ for a few months, but. I guess we have a history. Like, my loss to him at Battle City was live broadcast too. An’ he’s competitive at everythin,’ even at school. If he wasn’ tryin’ to outswim me, I was tryin’ to outrun him.” Joey brushed his hand through his hair. “I haven’ really told anyone we’re livin’ together so y’guys get an inside scoop.”

“Is that a trade secret?” Yoshi asked.

“Nah, nobody’s asked so I’ve never told.” He shrugged. “I guess I gotta make ‘em work for it sometimes.”

 

 

-

 

 

Serenity sat cross-legged on the edge of the spare bed that she’d been inhabiting. It was Wednesday morning, and she was full of excitement, side-lining her brother’s duels. She was awake super early, and incredibly curious, like her intuition was telling her to snoop around in cupboards and drawers. She dwelled on the thought for a moment, before quietly opening the closet in the room – where Joey had been storing his spare clothing and the things he’d salvaged from living with their father. The week earlier he’d officially moved into the Kaiba mansion after their Sapporo conversation, closing his lease off at his apartment. He didn’t have a lot to bring with him and had passed on his furniture to a friend who wasn’t flush for cash but getting out of home. Plus, Joey felt safer at Seto’s, and much safer having Serenity there away from where their father might get wind that she was in town.

Looking quietly through the box, she found worn photos of him, and a few newer ones from the ball stuffed in the bottom. She touched his first model Duel Disk and smiled – they’d come a long way. She hadn’t seen him wear that one; her eyesight was gone then. Even so, she knew instinctively that was the one he’d won the money to pay for her eyesight operation. He’d still been walking around the house with his second version of Duel Disk, despite Seto trying to make him wear the latest iteration. “Hey man, dis my pride an’ joy! I’ll wear your fancy bullshit if ya pay me to.”

“We _do_ pay you to, Wheeler.”

Hanging in the wardrobe was a brand-new coat, black and red with Red-Eyes lining. She pulled it out carefully, holding it up in awe. It looked costume-ish, but like it would be perfect for the finals when Joey would go up against Seto (when he creamed the others first, of course!). She imagined him wearing the coat, sweeping fabric off his shoulders and giggled to herself. Joey only ever wore casual (minus the obvious exception) but she was excited to see him in something outlandish .  She gently placed it back, noticing the pocket weighed down slightly on the right. Curiously, she reached in and felt a small box in there, that she pulled out. Her morning brain took a moment to realise what she was holding on to.

There was no way. She held her breath as she opened it with one hand.

_Nofuckingway._

She grabbed her phone and messaged Mokuba frantically, aware it was still early but had figured he would be up soon too since the group had to leave early.

_S: Are you awake? I’m freaking out. I found something. Like, something major._

_M: Good morning to you too_.

_S: I’m serious. Come here. Like. Now. I need to show you something._

Mokuba softly cracked her door. “What’s the…” Serenity shushed him.

“Look,” she hissed, thrusting the box at him.

“Are you…?” Mokuba clasped his hand over his mouth. “Are we…?”

Serenity pointed at the coat. “Is this Joey’s outfit for Friday?”

“Yeah, Seto has a matching one. They were custom designed and fitted a while ago.”

Serenity squealed. “Oh my God Mokuba. Oh my _God_.”

“But it’s so _soon_ ,” Mokuba squeaked.

“No, no, maybe we’re overreacting.”

“Serenity,” Mokuba stood with his hands on his hips. “You really think this isn’t what it looks like?” He thumbed the box, looking at the detailing. “Oh God, our brothers are on the same wavelength with this kind of thing. What does Seto have up his sleeve?”

“Hey, well this was my discovery. Go do your own snooping!” Serenity ribbed. “Now, I’m gonna get out of my pyjamas, so I’ll catch you for breakfast soon.” She winked as she popped the box delicately back in the coat pocket, shutting her door behind Mokuba, grinning.

 

 

-

 

 

Joey couldn’t understand why Mokuba and Serenity were so jittery all morning, kicking each other under the kitchen counter when Joey and Seto were making a coffee and going through their schedule. Mokuba listened in and interjected where he needed to, but when they weren’t looking the kids were on Line messaging up a storm.

“What’s got you so worked up?” Joey asked.

“Oh, nothing!” Serenity exclaimed. “Just getting swept up in it all. Can’t wait for Friday. You guy’s’ll put on a great show.”

“Oh, I bet!” Mokuba exclaimed, and Seto locked eyes with him, like he’d been caught out. It wasn’t like Mokuba hadn’t seen Seto in Duelling National Finals before, but something about how he was acting, maybe because of Joey’s sister, was out of character, even for him. “I can’t wait to hear your names _ringing_ from the audience. I’m sure you’ve got some surprises up your sleeve.”

Joey’s eyes went wide. “Well, we better get going or I won’t be at dat final. I have an interview early on, gotta spend time in makeup.” He dashed up the stairs to grab his coat and phone, escaping the awkward conversation.

“We’re leaving in five. Mokuba, a word?” Seto motioned for him to follow him into the lounge.

“What’s up, big bro?”

“Whatever you know,” Seto hissed, “you need to keep it a secret. From Joey, from his sister.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Mokuba said, genuinely.

“You don’t think I’ve developed a sixth sense. You know something. I don’t know what you know so far, but I want it to be a complete surprise. So, keep your lips zipped or I’ll lock you in a dungeon until Friday.”

“Uh…okay, whatever!” Mokuba agreed hesitantly. “I wasn’t going to say anything. You do you, Seto. You both do you.”

Seto furrowed his eyebrows but sighed, adjusting his coat over his shoulders and checking that he had his phone on him before rounding up the household into the limousine. Seto and Joey sat right in the back, holding hands, while the younger siblings sat in the seats ahead, furiously texting while talking about a completely unrelated topic, like Mokuba’s schedule for the day.

_M: Something’s super up. I told you._

_S: Makes for an interesting day!_ _Did he give you any details?_

_M: No. That’s what makes me worried. Even the crazy things I usually get a heads-up on ( >.<)_

_S: You don’t think he’s planning the same thing?_

_M: Yup._

 

 

-

  


At exactly midday, Seto pressed the button to raise the arena, lights flooding the stadium. Screams from fans clinging to the edge of their seats in anticipation travelled like a Mexican wave. Seto, in theatrics, dropped from a helicopter onto the stage, projecting a live feed of his face onto screens around the arena, metres upon metres high. His boots clicked as they hit the announcer’s platform extended out to get a 360 vantage.

“Every time you think that I’ve reached the pinnacle of my own genius, I show you that you’ve underestimated me once again,” Seto’s voice billowed over the arena. “What you are about to experience over the next three days will make you shiver with anticipation. This is not just a Duelling Competition, but a live-action four-dimensional experience. Clear your calendars, losers. You’re not going to want to miss a nanosecond of this.” He raised his hands, and cheers drowned out every other noise as the arena lit up in neon, and lights shone on the five contestants. “There are five matches today, and best from today go on to the semi-finals tomorrow.” Their names went up on LED screens above their lights. Joey in red, Momo in pink, Yoshi in orange, Fujikawa in purple, and Mari in green. Their match times went up after they’d had a chance to say hello to the crowd and thank them all for coming.

1pm: Joey vs Momo

3pm: Yoshi vs Meri

5pm: Joey vs Fujikawa

7pm: Meri vs Momo

9pm: Fujikawa vs Yoshi

As the group exited the stage, the arena changed into a stage and the opening ceremony, Taiko drumming, kicked off with a timer until Joey and Momo’s first match. The team split off, with Momo just winking at Joey. “If you want a cig before we go up, hit me up.”

“I’ll certainly want one after,” he smiled at her. “And probably a beer or five after Fujikawa.”

Joey had never been catered to before during a tournament, so getting platters of food to a “dressing room,” while he was getting makeup reapplied during duels or after interviews was novel to say the least. The food was fancy, not like regular fancy but more like he was dining at a soiree, canapes and ingredients he couldn’t pronounce. He changed his clothes; the arena lights were strong and very aware that the tech he’d been working with could get intense with its heat especially before the day had started to cool from the intense July mugginess. He hung his lanyard around his neck which served as his pass backstage, getting him into rooms with passcodes. A second platter of food turned up with mini Bao’s. In an instant, Joey had scarfed them down.

“You have ten minutes,” an assistant said, knocking on his door.

Joey ran his fingers through his hand-crafted deck once more, hoping that it would be enough to nab the first win of two. If he didn’t get two wins, it was extremely unlikely he would end up being the finalist. He checked his phone; a barrage of messages had built up since he looked last a few hours ago.

_Serenity: Good luck! I’ll get some cool photos._

_Seto: I better see you at the finals._

_Tea: Wow! I’ll be streaming from home. Good luck Joey, do your best!_

_Yugi: You’re going to be great up there!_

Joey smiled, clutching the messages close to his chest as he leaned once more into the mirror to stare in his eyes. He could do this. He had support. He had been practising.

As he walked out to the arena, KaibaCorp drink bottle in hand, brand new pride merch shirt to promote, he could hear the fans going crazy as Mokuba warmed up the crowd with chants.

“It’s that time, folks! Let’s get these duels started!” And the lights blared on him as he walked out into the white.

 

 

-

 

 

Joey’s ears were still ringing from his first duel even as he finished his second. Momo hadn’t been an easy win by far, but he had still won by a comfortable margin, thanks, and only thanks, to getting extra life points early in the match.

Fujikawa also fought valiantly, though unresponsively to taunting and putting on a show. Joey knew that his unedited deck wouldn’t have won with the cards Fujikawa pulled turn after turn, but the play was like another duel Joey had analysed and he played strategically and safely.

The merch sales and signing between his duels were frantic, meeting hundreds of duellists and fans that had travelled from parts of Japan he’d never been before. It was only now he realised how big KaibaCorp, Industrial Illusions, and Duel Monsters were. Children as young as three recognised him, and mothers used them as an excuse to give him a sly wink.

His pride shirt sold out first. Joey was floored as he redirected fans to the website for updates on restocking. “Th’ next lot should be up soon. Wow. I’m speechless. Thank you.”

With two wins under his belt, Joey anticipately watched Meri’s duel against Momo while drinking a few beers in the spectators’ box with Serenity (she was drinking non-alcoholic). Meri had won her first duel. Mokuba was doing a fine job commanding the arena with enthusiasm, though Joey hadn’t spent much time paying attention before now as his heartbeat was in his ears drowning out every word he’d spoken before his wins. With two points himself, if Meri won, they would have a match tomorrow, and if not, Joey was the only one that would go through to the finals. There were still arena spectaculars happening for the whole of Thursday regardless, promising patron’s money’s worth. A huge Idol group were performing in the evening, and workshops were being held in the morning for up and coming duellists. All ticketholders had a free entry pass to KaibaLand for the day too, but the park would close at 6pm, and Joey’s duel had been scheduled for 7pm.

“I’m so proud of you,” Serenity cooed, as Joey popped open his bottle of beer. “This is so much more fun than when we had to worry about our lives and Shadow Realms.”

“Tell me about it!” Joey laughed, shaking off his jacket and leaning back into the plush seats, taking special notes of Meri’s plays. The match was shaping up to be tight and he felt a surge of excitement at every turn, knuckles white from gripping his bottle tight whenever one of them would show off.

Another round of food made it’s way up to their spectator box, which Joey had wolfed down after Serenity delicately picked two tempura pieces off the plate.

“Joseph, darling!” A voice rang out, and Joey craned his neck. Pegasus, holding a glass of red wine came and sat beside him. “Delighted to see you.”

“Wow. Pegasus.” Joey chugged the rest of his drink and cracked another. “I should have known you’d be here.”

“Oh but of course!” Pegasus mused. “I wouldn’t miss these championships for the world. Excellent duelling out there.” He held his glass up to ‘cheers’ him. “You seem to have been kept rather occupied since I last saw you.”

“You could say that…” Joey mumbled.

“Keeping our Kaiba boy out of trouble, or getting him into it, hmm?” Serenity stared wide-eyed at Pegasus. “Oh, don’t mind me. You must be Serenity. It’s a pleasure to meet you too. I hear Joseph used his winnings to pay for your eyesight surgery. Do tell me it was a complete success?”

“It was,” she said with a smile. “He’s a great big brother.”

“Excellent. I hear he’s a great partner too. Kaiba boy seems rather fond of you.” He drunk the rest of his red wine, motioning to the waiter to get another. “You’ll have to send me an invite to the wedding, yes. Don’t let Kaiba boy forget.” Pegasus laughed softly as Joey went bright red.

“I dunno what ya talkin’ about,” Joey mumbled.

“Oh, don’t worry, Mr Pegasus,” Serenity interjected. “I’ll be personally sending invites at that wedding. I’ll make a note of it now. We’ll discuss a date soon and get back to you.” Joey swiped his sister’s head. “Ow! Take a joke Joey!” She rubbed the area where he’d grazed.

“A smart one,” Pegasus said, grabbing his next glass of wine. “Oooh, it looks like it’s really heating up out there!”

 

 

-

 

 

Much to Joey’s blood pressure’s relief, Momo won the duel against Meri, and Fujikawa won against Yoshi, leaving Joey the only contestant with two wins. The family had celebrated together at a 24-hour Donburi house near the arena, before heading back home just after midnight as Serenity was falling asleep at the car.

Joey’s signings on Thursday happened at KaibaLand where Serenity spent the morning making friends with other teens and challenging them to go on the rollercoasters. Seto was busy at KaibaCorp while Mokuba was running the Arena’s events. The crowd filled in and watched the Idol group’s concert live, and in the 7pm slot was an AI idol performance.

Joey had soaked in the buzz from his win, and nervously laughed at questions about his performance tomorrow against Seto. He fronted to cameras and fans saying there was no way he wasn’t giving it his all, just like he’d promised. He’d spent the late evening before Seto got home reconstructing his deck for their final showdown, staring longingly at his Red Eyes. “You just gotta win me this.”

In the morning, Seto set off like nothing else was happening. Their duel wasn’t again until 7pm, and Joey had a full schedule.

“It’s like their wedding day. Vowing not to see each other before the big event.” Mokuba hissed to Serenity as she was midway through a mouthful of cereal. She sprayed it over the kitchen counter.

Seto just glared and threw a cloth at him.

Joey ran around doing his own appointments and errands until 4pm, when he headed to the arena to get into makeup and his outfit. The coat he had made was slender, scooping in at his waist before flaring out at his hips. He had fresh kicks, extra gel in his hair, and skinny jeans glued to his legs with a forest button down shirt to bring the coat into focus.

Serenity joined in his dressing room a little past 6pm to give him a pep talk. Joey was slowly descending into a pile of anxiety, and food arrived at exactly at the right time, but he was hardly hungry and just nibbled away slowly.

“You look incredible, Joey!” Serenity breathed, running her fingers along the collar of his jacket. “I’m so excited to see you out there.”

“’Ren. I’m so nervous.” Joey picked at the skin around his thumb nails.

Serenity smiled up at him, though not much shorter anymore. “It’s just a duel. You’ll be fine. You got this!”

“It’s just a duel,” he muttered under his breath as he bit his lip and looked once more in the mirror. His stage makeup in deep navy hues around his eyes to bring out his gold.

“Alright! I’m going to head to the VIP area now. Good luck and have fun. I love you. He loves you.” Serenity squeezed his shoulders and smiled. “Oh, and one more thing. A certain best friend of yours is up there waiting for me.”

“Wait, Yugi’s here!?” Joey exclaimed.

Serenity winked. “It was our gift to you for all the times you’ve looked after us. We know this is an important night for you.” She pulled the door closed behind her and snickered to herself as she pranced down the hall.

Joey ran his fingers down the seam of his coat, into his pockets. Holding his deck in one hand and the small box in the other, he took one last breath before leaving his room and heading down the hallway. KaibaCorp staff communicating with each other on headsets, counting down and giving Joey queues. It was all or nothing now.

 

 

-

 

 

Serenity settled into the Spectator stand beside Yugi and made idol chitchat until the arena’s lights powered on. Yugi was sitting at the edge of his seat, excited to watch such a miraculous showdown between the formidable couple. Truthfully, he wouldn’t have missed it for the world anyway, but having Serenity think she’d organised something special was a secret he could take to the grave. She was shining, smile brighter than the flood lights.

Pegasus sat himself on the other side of Serenity, with a Red Wine Spritzer. “Darling, I’m so excited to see you again,” he grabbed Serenity’s hand and kissed it. “Tonight promises to be oh so delightful.” Pegasus raised his glass to Yugi. “Excellent to see you again, Yugi boy.”

“How are you, Pegasus?” Yugi replied pleasantly.

“Marvellous. Exceptionally marvellous tonight. I anticipate a twist that you never saw coming.”

Yugi flinched.

“Oh, no boy, not like that!” Pegasus grinned as he grabbed a hors d’oeuvre. “No magic, just chemistry. And maybe a slight review of the Duel Monsters rules in the morning.”

Amongst the blinding arena lights, and the heartbeat in his throat, Joey noticed Seto was dressed similarly to him, except with a white coat and adorning belts around his leather pants, legs that went on for miles.

“As is customary in a championship,” Mokuba announced, hi-tech headset over his ear, “the winner of the semi-finals will face off with the previous tournament winner. As the last winner was unable to attend, that responsibility falls on the runner-up. In that case, that is Seto Kaiba. He, in a shocking twist of fate for everyone, is facing up against the Japan Nationals semi-final winner, Joey Wheeler. Place your bets now.”

The crowd went wild and the pair stepped into their positions.

“You think I’m gonna go easy on you, Rich Boy, just because of who you are?” Joey shouted across the arena, pulling his cards out and putting them in the machine to be shuffled.

“I’d expect nothing less. May the best duellist, and that will be me, win.”

 

 

-

 

 

Pegasus leaned in. “It’s about to get very interesting!” he squealed, as Joey summoned his Red Eyes to the field, with Seto summoning his second Blue Eyes.

“A strategy that I would expect from you,” Seto laughed at the attempt.

“Yeah? You talk a big game for someone who has belts strapped around his arms. 2004 is calling and wants it’s Emo back! You wanna see what I can do? I activate my magic card Enemy Controller to, you guessed it, take control of your Blue Eyes!”

“Not so fast, Wheeler. I use Mystical Space Typhoon to block your Enemy Controller. Sorry ‘bout it.”

“Ach. Fine. I set one card down in defence position and end my turn.”

“I draw. Using your own tactic against you, I activate Enemy Controller to, you guessed it, take control of your Red Eyes.” The crowd screamed at Seto’s taunting and a chant for Joey started.

“And, you didn’t guess this, but I use Polymerisation. I sacrifice one of my Blue Eyes White Dragons to merge my other Blue Eyes with your Red Eyes and summon the Violet Eyes Silver Dragon, with an attack of forty-two-hundred.”

“Hey! What the fuck man!” Joey yelled. “Ya can’t just make cards up like that.”

“Ooh boy,” Pegasus laughed, a new glass of Red Wine spritzer delivered to him on queue.

“Wait,” Serenity muttered. “Is something happening?”

Even Mokuba couldn’t control himself. “Wow. That’s insane!” he shouted into the headpiece.

“I assure you, this card is completely legal. Pegasus signed off on it himself. I use my third Blue Eyes to take out your defence card and use the Violet Eyes to take out the rest of your life points.”

Joey stood in disbelief as his life points diminished down to zero.

“And with that, your Japan Nationals winner is Seto Kaiba. Congratulations!” Mokuba went to hop off his platform and hand over the medal, when Seto held up his hand.

“Not so fast.” Seto motioned for Joey to meet him in the centre of the arena. Joey’s heart was still in his throat and he wanted to vomit. He still had time to pull out of the idea, especially now that he’d lost in front of Serenity, in front of Yugi, and in front of the person he was trying to impress the most.

“You played well, Wheeler.” Seto outstretched his hand as thousands of fans watched in pin-drop silence.

“Heh. So did you.” Joey reached his hand out and shook Seto’s hand. Sweat was dripping off both of their foreheads and close up they looked like a mess but had smiles on their faces. He looked out to the fans, before looking back at Seto who had slipped his hand out of his, pausing for a moment.

And then Seto’s knee was on the ground.

“Aaaaah!” Serenity screamed in the spectator’s box. “Yugi! What is going on!?”

“You did me proud. I want you to continue to do me proud.” Seto explained.

Joey stared with wide eyes at the box that Seto pulled out of his pocket.

“Are you really…?” Joey spluttered. Seto nodded once.

Joey put his hands over his mouth before fumbling to pull his box out of his pocket and getting down on one knee too.

Seto collapsed on the ground laughing. Genuine, soul-healing laughter.

“I mean, obviously, yes,” Joey said as the audience shrieked. “A thousand times yes.” He grabbed his ring out and slid it onto Seto’s finger. “God Kaiba, what are we doing?”

Seto mimicked, sliding a ring onto Joey’s finger. “I don’t know,” he whispered, switching his microphone off. “Being teenagers?”


End file.
